Villa Widmann-Rezzonico Foscari was built in the early 18th century at the behest of the Venetian noble family of Persian origin, Serimann. The complex passed in the mid-1800s to the noble Milanese Serbelloni family. The villa passed in the post-Napoleonic era to the Widmann-Rezzonico family, which modernized the complex according to French Rococo taste, making it cozy and opulent for hosting parties and receptions. Among the various famous people who stayed in this luxurious building were Carlo Goldoni, Gabriele D'Annunzio, and Carlo Rezzonico, who later became Pope Clement XII.
The recent restoration by the Metropolitan City of Venice, the entity that has owned the Villa since 1984, has returned the entire compendium to fruition, integrating the historical value with modern technical equipment. The Villa now includes the manor house with the garden, the adjacent courtyard, the barchessa, the small church and the vast park to the north.
The dominical body has three floors and is fully furnished with period furniture, Murano glass chandeliers and brocaded curtains.
In the main hall, one can still admire frescoes painted around 1765 by distinguished painters of the Venetian school: Giuseppe Angeli, Giambattista Piazzetta and Gerolamo Mengozzi Colonna, the latter a close collaborator of Giambattista Tiepolo. The portico of one of the barchesse then encloses a Venetian-style Campiello and a collection of antique carriages.
The guided tour will also take you on a tour of the magnificent monumental park with numerous statues of classical mythology and a wide variety of tree species, a picturesque pond, greenhouses, and the oratory.
Duration of the visit: about 1 hour
