Villa Serego, Pedemonte, Italy

Villa Serego was built for the aristocratic Sarego family, and designed by Andrea Palladio. The villa is distinctive for its use of rusticated columns of the Ionic order.

The villa was commissioned by the Venetian nobleman Marcantonio Sarego for an estate which came into his possession in 1552. A rough date for its execution is c. 1560-1570. In 1857 further construction took place, which makes the villa appear finished but does not fully respect the original design.

Two limestone sculptures stand surrounded by semi-circular hedges in front of the villa. They appear to be the deities Diana (with attributes of the hunt) and Apollo (holding a harp), symbolic of the villa being both a rural retreat and a refuge for culture and beauty.

The villa is built around a courtyard, which is derived from the atrium of Roman villas. Palladio was familiar with such designs from his researches into Roman architecture, but courtyards are rare in his own buildings. The colossal columns of the courtyard are executed in a rough aesthetic - Palladio refers to them being made of 'non polite' stone. Although ultimately derived from ancient Roman buildings, the columns are reminiscent of mannerist design and have features found in the architecture of Verona.

In 1996 UNESCO included the villa in the World Heritage Site 'City of Vicenza and Palladian Villas of the Veneto'. It is not open to the public.

References:

Wikipedia

Clementinum

The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.

Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

Rita-Lucia Arkosi (22 months ago)

Francesco t (2 years ago)
Always fascinating, it's a shame that neither the villa nor the park can be visited.

Laura Bellotti (2 years ago)
Beautiful Palladian villa

Antonio Pistore (3 years ago)
Perhaps the most original of the Palladian villas, different from all the others. Characteristic is the three-winged facade made up of arcades on two floors all worked in rustication. Really a splendor. I attach photos from 1980

Cristina Montresor (5 years ago)

Villa Serego

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