Vista notturna della Villa di Montruglio, della sua Facciata e della Barchessa illuminate, con l'ampio giardino di fronte.
Vista notturna della Villa di Montruglio, della sua Facciata e della Barchessa illuminate, con l'ampio giardino di fronte.

The Villa di Montruglio is gracefully situated on a ridge in the Berici Hills at a point overlooking a vast green area of woodland, fields and vineyards.

Originally commissioned by the Arnaldi family from Vicenza, who, in the mid-1500s had acquired the land at this site thanks to certain ties with the patrician Pigafetta family, the villa was built in the late XVII and early XVIII centuries by the architect and landscape specialist Francesco Antonio Muttoni.

His style, significantly influenced by the works of Palladio and Scamozzi, is clearly evident also in the portico of the ‘barchessa’ (side wing) (1710-1714). The tall pediment above the facade  of the villa and the small family chapel facing the valley on the south side were added at the same time.

The statues above the facade  are attributed to sculptors of the workshop of Orazio Marinali, while the frescoes that decorate the main hall of the ‘piano nobile’ (first floor) are by Francesco Aviani.

After passing into the hands of the noble Vicentine De Salvi family the property was purchased in 1862 by Fanny Camerini, the great-grandmother of the current owners.

The Villa di Montruglio is gracefully situated on a ridge in the Berici Hills at a point overlooking a vast green area of woodland, fields and vineyards.

Originally commissioned by the Arnaldi family from Vicenza, who, in the mid-1500s had acquired the land at this site thanks to certain ties with the patrician Pigafetta family, the villa was built in the late XVII and early XVIII centuries by the architect and landscape specialist Francesco Antonio Muttoni.

His style, significantly influenced by the works of Palladio and Scamozzi, is clearly evident also in the portico of the ‘barchessa’ (side wing) (1710-1714). The tall pediment above the facade  of the villa and the small family chapel facing the valley on the south side were added at the same time.

The statues above the facade  are attributed to sculptors of the workshop of Orazio Marinali, while the frescoes that decorate the main hall of the ‘piano nobile’ (first floor) are by Francesco Aviani.

After passing into the hands of the noble Vicentine De Salvi family the property was purchased in 1862 by Fanny Camerini, the great-grandmother of the current owners.

The Villa

The long main facade faces east and consists of a central body and two smaller lateral portions in a strictly symmetrical position with respect to the main central section. The salient feature of the facade is the series of three arched windows behind the sturdy protruding balcony. The large, decorative fastigium presents five statues. Jupiter, in the highest central position, is flanked by two reclining fluvial divinities, and the statues of Venus and Mercury are located on the right and left-hand side of the pediment. A symbolic crest of the Camerini family is visible at the centre.

The facade is further embellished by the presence of a very solid flight of steps and a terrace surrounded by a series of balustrades.

  • Vista diurna della Facciata della Villa di Montruglio con la sua scalinata, i ballatoi ed un pezzo di giardino, dalla Barchessa. In primo piano alcune colonne in prospettiva.

The Villa

  • Vista diurna della Facciata della Villa di Montruglio con la sua scalinata, i ballatoi ed un pezzo di giardino, dalla Barchessa. In primo piano alcune colonne in prospettiva.

The long main facade faces east and consists of a central body and two smaller lateral portions in a strictly symmetrical position with respect to the main central section. The salient feature of the facade is the series of three arched windows behind the sturdy protruding balcony. The large, decorative fastigium presents five statues. Jupiter, in the highest central position, is flanked by two reclining fluvial divinities, and the statues of Venus and Mercury are located on the right and left-hand side of the pediment. A symbolic crest of the Camerini family is visible at the centre.

The facade is further embellished by the presence of a very solid flight of steps and a terrace surrounded by a series of balustrades.

  • Vista della Barchessa della Villa di Montruglio vista dal cancello esterno, con il suo porticato di colonne in pietre bugnate, lunette e finestre.

The Barchessa

Worthy of note along the lateral wing is the pleasant light and shade effect created by the series of empty spaces and solid structures.

The long, deep portico formed by nine arches presents several architectural embellishments.

At the centre of the closed upper lunette portions of the arches there are small clover-shaped apertures, a decorative element typical of Muttoni’s works. Rusticated pillars and surfaces are another element found in many buildings and structures designed by this architect.

The interior of the portico is characterised by a series of rusticated pilasters situated at points corresponding to the outer pillars of the facade. These vertical elements punctuate the surface of the inner wall, which presents rectangular windows on the ground floor and square apertures at the mezzanine level.

The Barchessa

  • Vista della Barchessa della Villa di Montruglio vista dal cancello esterno, con il suo porticato di colonne in pietre bugnate, lunette e finestre.

Worthy of note along the lateral wing is the pleasant light and shade effect created by the series of empty spaces and solid structures.

The long, deep portico formed by nine arches presents several architectural embellishments.

At the centre of the closed upper lunette portions of the arches there are small clover-shaped apertures, a decorative element typical of Muttoni’s works. Rusticated pillars and surfaces are another element found in many buildings and structures designed by this architect.

The interior of the portico is characterised by a series of rusticated pilasters situated at points corresponding to the outer pillars of the facade. These vertical elements punctuate the surface of the inner wall, which presents rectangular windows on the ground floor and square apertures at the mezzanine level.

The Chapel and Gardens

The annexed family chapel was built at the end of the seventeenth century on the southern side of the villa. It overlooks an unsurfaced country lane, which at that time was created to allow local people from the surrounding district to access the chapel on particular religious feast days.

The ‘Brolo’ or private orchard area of the estate can be reached through a small gate located on the north side of the villa. The old Venetian term refers to an area of land where vegetables and fruit are cultivated and was normally situated close to a home or an estate. Until the nineteenth century, the ‘brolo’ beside the villa contained a large greenhouse that protected citrus plants during the winter period. At the centre of this area there is a fountain, which was probably planned and designed by Muttoni himself.

  • Immagine della Cappella gentilizia laterale della Villa di Montruglio, con dei capitelli colonnali ionici e una piccola scalinata. Di fianco un cancello che porta al Brolo.

The Chapel

and Gardens

  • Immagine della Cappella gentilizia laterale della Villa di Montruglio, con dei capitelli colonnali ionici e una piccola scalinata. Di fianco un cancello che porta al Brolo.

The annexed family chapel was built at the end of the seventeenth century on the southern side of the villa. It overlooks an unsurfaced country lane, which at that time was created to allow local people from the surrounding district to access the chapel on particular religious feast days.

The ‘Brolo’ or private orchard area of the estate can be reached through a small gate located on the north side of the villa. The old Venetian term refers to an area of land where vegetables and fruit are cultivated and was normally situated close to a home or an estate. Until the nineteenth century, the ‘brolo’ beside the villa contained a large greenhouse that protected citrus plants during the winter period. At the centre of this area there is a fountain, which was probably planned and designed by Muttoni himself.

The park, gardens and numerous internal spaces of the Villa di Montruglio complex are open to the public.

VISITS

Villa Montruglio is an exclusive and quite versatile location often chosen for weddings, parties, conventions and ceremonies of various kinds.

EVENTS

The agricultural enterprise Azienda Agricola Montruglio proposes an excellent selection of wines produced from the grapes cultivated in its vineyards.

WINES