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The toponym Bagnoli and its large surrounding vineyards have been documented since the XI century. Several properties of some monastic orders were sold in 1656 to fund the war efforts of the Republic of Venice against the Turks. Those domains were purchased by the wealthy Widmanns who had risen to the rank of the Venetian nobility in 1646, fin recognition of their support in the war of Candia against the Sultan. The new owners started impressive renovation works of the monastic buildings – the project of the monumental manor section is attributed to Baldassarre Longhena. In the following century, the villa became a cultural venue where even Carlo Goldoni loved to spend his summer vacations, as a guest of Count Ludovico Widmann. The latter used to be a true patron of the arts and a liberal spirit, as mentioned by the abovementioned Italian playwright and librettist in his “Il Burchiello di Padova”.

In the small theatre housed in one of the halls of the villa, Goldoni’s plays were often performed by the noble guests disguised as actors for the occasions – they would play the roles of “Pantalone”, “Arlecchino”, servants and maids for pure playful entertainment.

The whole property currently measuring some 1.482 acres, with all its buildings, is one of the most important in the Veneto region for size and monumental appearance.
The long and grandiose façade it’s probably the most prominent feature, while the internal front opens onto an Italian garden of XVIII century style, decorated with pots of lemons and 160 statues, some of which sculpted by Antonio Bonazza from Padua (mid-1700s).
There are statues with allegorical or mythological subjects including the twelve zodiac signs, and several Greek gods.

The theme of theatrical representation, so frequently and intimately linked to the history of the European garden, was preserved in the re-arrangement of the garden by Tommaso Buzzi, in 1942. He was a visionary architect from Milan who used his “theatrical vocation” to imaginatively manipulate ancient architecture elements without falling into a mere reconstruction.

The garden in front of the main building, which was originally divided into identical rectangular flower beds, is now a single large turf that ends in a “green theatre” plunged into the vegetation. Some ancient statues – which seem inspired by Goldoni’s characters – can be found right there, among topiary-cut hornbeams.

In addition to the gardens, there is a 50-acre “Brolo” – the ancient orchard/wood of the monastery – with vineyards, fruit trees, a forest and two lakes. Thirty types of native vines are preserved there. A long avenue bordered by a double row of cypress poplars leads to the lake and the whole complex is enclosed by a wall built in the XIV century.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)