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Villa Mylius was purchased in 1829 by Enrico Mylius, fascinated by the position and the splendid view offered by this elegant abode on Lake Como.
The villa underwent expansion works by the architect Gaetano Besia who added the third floor, the two lateral external buildings, and the four niches on the facade: right there are still visible the busts of family friends Antonio Kramer, Gaetano Cattaneo, and Alessandro Manzoni.

At the time of its purchase, the park consisted of large agricultural areas for the production of oil, wine, fruit, and mulberry, along with a large lawn. This huge ornamental area was dramatically modified in 1831, after Mylius’ demise; A small temple was built (by Thorvaldsen and Marchesi) and decorated with sculptures in his memory, while several other works of art were positioned inside the park.

In 1855, Luigia Vigoni, the heir of Mylius, tasked with the re-arrangement of the park the architect Giuseppe Balzaretti from Pavia, who applied several English-style features still visible today.

THE PARK

Benefitting from the amphitheater-shaped terrain, Balzaretti created a series of areas with viewpoints looking towards the most significant parts of the estate; visitors could, therefore, enjoy several beautiful sights of monuments and the landscape, walking along an elliptical route. The promontory of Bellagio would be clearly visible as well.

In the orchid park (Ophrys spp.), centuries-old trees, exotic essences are the most unique part of this estate heritage. The lawn in front of the garden, bordered by lemon trees, overlooks a splendid view of the center of the lake; to the left of the house, maritime pines surround the actual park which extends over the hill eventually reaching its top.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)