On an estate purchased in the early nineteenth century, Giovanni Antonio de Manzoni, a descendant of a Lombard family that had prospered through the management of Agordino mines, had a villa built in 1835 designed by Giuseppe Jappelli (1783-1852), the most famous architect of the time, known especially for the eclectic Caffè Pedrocchi in Padua.
The building expresses a neoclassical language; the stylistic choices are characterized by sobriety and the distribution of internal spaces follows rational choices. On the outside, the flattened surface of the façade is articulated by the central motif of the four giant-order pilasters, while the smooth plaster is only slightly punctuated by the rustication and the windows have sharp cuts, without frames. The architecture is reminiscent of a city palace, at a historical moment when the villa loses its connection with agricultural activities, transforming into a place of leisure, away from the urban context. Inside the villa, two important frescoes are preserved: The Battle of the Spartans by Giovanni De Min (1786-1859) and Aesop by Pietro Paoletti (1801-1847). The small tower features frescoes on the walls with Egyptian views and constellations of the zodiac on the ceiling, likely derived from a drawing by the Belluno scientist and explorer Girolamo Segato. The intervention of Giuseppe Segusini in 1870 is marked by the rustic wing designed in a neo-Gothic style, which features fresco decorations with hunting trophies and geometric elements.
The villa, owned by the Province of Belluno since 1977, has been managed by the Pro Loco of Sedico since 2014. Additionally, the building houses the Museum of the 7th Alpini Regiment with materials narrating the history of the Regiment.
