Villa Trissino Marzotto

Villa Trissino Marzotto consists of: an upper villa, a lower villa, monumental late-Baroque entrances, a cedar house or lemon house, an octagonal fountain, and over one hundred statues that adorn the large park, from which one can enjoy the panorama of the Agno Valley and the surrounding countryside. The villa is closely linked to the events of the Trissino family, ancient feudal lords of the area. This villa lies on the hill of Trissino where, since ancient times, a fortress stood, and later, a castle that was the theater for years of the struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines; after which, following the Renaissance fashion, it was transformed into a country villa (the so-called upper villa, as it is situated on the summit of the hill). The villa, expanded and renovated for the last time between 1718 and 1722 by the architect Francesco Muttoni and, after his death, by Girolamo Dal Pozzo, has come to the Trissino Baston family, owners of Palazzo Trissino, the current seat of the Municipality of Vicenza. Count Marcantonio Trissino Baston, in addition to commissioning the renovation works of the villa, had the imposing entrance to the garden built by Muttoni in 1693, and in 1717 the entrance to the upper villa. The architect also oversaw the arrangement of the gardens, from which there is a view of the Agno valley. Muttoni is also responsible for the construction of the stables, completed in 1722. Subsequently, Count Cristoforo Trissino commissioned Muttoni to build the lower villa, inaugurated in 1746 along with his son Ottavio, with whom, however, the line of Trissino Riale ended, allowing the Trissino Baston family to reunite the entire complex into a single property again. At the end of the eighteenth century and again in 1841, the lower villa was struck by lightning. After the first event, the building was restored, while after the second fire, Alessandro Trissino Baston had it renovated as a scenic ruin, according to the romantic fashion of the time. Count Alessandro and his brothers had no direct heirs, so the entire complex passed to their younger sister Francesca; however, their descendants, after a period of abandonment, sold the property to Giannino Marzotto in 1951.