This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

Villa Ricci at Montevecchio is in Samarate and dates back to the late XIX century (1898); it was built by the businessman Carlo Ricci (1853-1925), following a project by the engineer Cecilio Arpesani.

The building features a neo-Sforza style, with a well-kept “Garden of the Balustrades” in front of the main entrance. Events, outdoor functions, celebrations and socio-cultural happenings take place here in spring and summer. Villa Ricci is also surrounded by a beautiful park which includes a nice observation tower.

The garden, which used to be cared for by Natale Rampinini, still retains its original English landscape appearance and layout. The highest part adjacent to the Villa – the so-called “Balustrade Garden” – was originally designed as an Italian garden. The very structural design and the wealth of plant species make this park a true testament to habits and traditions of the past; it’s also a useful green space embedded within the urban fabric of Samarate, and a perfect leisure and relaxation area extremely popular among the residents.

A special foundation is currently managing the park and its constant recovery: a slow but, never-ending effort aimed at bringing the whole area back to its former glory, while carefully upgrading it with the citizens’ needs and desires.

The municipal administration has, in fact, created a non-profit foundation with the aim of improving socio-cultural support and promoting the city of Samarate itself: one of the largest and most fascinating in the Ticino Park.

Text and photo source: http://www.fondazionemontevecchio.org/villa_gallery.html

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)