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The Park of Villa Chiozza is inside the villa which used to be the abode of Luigi Chiozza (1828-1889), a scientist, chemistry scholar and a great lover of botany. He actually followed in his father’s footsteps – the original designer of the park.

Villa Chiozza hosted numerous scientists, including Louis Pasteur, also a friend and assistant, who lived and worked for several months in Villa Vicentina during his research to cure silkworm diseases spreading all over Europe from France. In fact, the local silk industry was very important and such a threat was taken very seriously. Hence the creation of a group of scholars including the French scientist.

At the beginning of the XX century, the villa underwent some restructuring, influenced by the cultural taste of that time – its original XIX century harmonious style was thus modified.
In 1904, Giorgio Polli from Trieste built a greenhouse, and in 1970 the whole property was purchased by ERSA (the Regional Agency for Rural Development of Friuli Venezia Giulia). This organization established a professional education centre for agricultural entrepreneurs (excerpt from http://www.viaggioinfriuliveneziagiulia.it/wcms/index.php).

The park is about 55-acre wide and was built between 1800 and 1870, according to English landscape style.

Luigi Chiozza collected plants from all over the world, including sequoias and sweetgum (Liquidambarar styraciflua) from North America, and Maidenhair trees (Gingko biloba) from China. Local plants were selected as well, including hornbeams (Carpinus betulus), field maples (Acer campestris), lime trees, badgers, and boxwood, for a total of 150 different species. Al these plants were already in full development, thoroughly recorded and catalogued by ERSA.

The various types of lawns host spontaneous plant species and countless varieties of mushrooms, both poisonous and edible.

In the park, there are also flowering plants, such as violets, crocuses, orchids and primroses.

A small herd of deer has lived here since 1998, courtesy of ERSA.

The Park of Villa Chiozza can be visited on foot and only following the suggested walkways:

– Viale dei Carpini (437 yards, 15 minutes);
– Path of the reeds (1200 yards, 30 minutes);
– River path (1,24 miles, 45 minutes, dirt track).

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)