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Villa del Colle del Cardinale is about 9 miles from Perugia. Opened to the public in 2018, it stands in a 32-acre forest on a hill full of water and secret ducts.

Its construction started in 1575, thanks to Cardinal Fulvio della Corgna, an enlightened man, as well as an enthusiast of literature and arts, who most allegedly commissioned it to Galeazzo Alessi as a summer residence. The villa had gardens, including one on the north side, and its interiors were decorated with beautiful frescoes which have survived the passage of time.

In 1644, the whole property was bought by the Oddi Baglioni family and some major changes were made to the park, in particular between 1729 and 1795; a French-style project was thus developed by many architects, including Giuseppe Santini, Giuseppe Alemanni, and Vincenzo Ciofi.
The villa was enriched with two turrets, one intended as a library and the other as a bathroom – with a large round tub in its centre. A hemicycle terrace was also inserted, with a double ramp of stairs, while the espaliers of the XVI century terrace were covered with plants. The Italian garden to the north was then turned into a French one, with a fountain and an espalier. The south garden was also restructured on three levels, according to the French style – each level was decorated with beautifully crafted walls.

At the beginning of the XIX century, much of the French garden was redesigned with a romantic English-style appearance probably by the landscape architect Luigi Manetti. The park was enriched by streams, a lake with a central island, water games and some swings. Greenhouses, aviaries and a large lemon grove were eventually added.

In 1893, the villa was bought by Cavalier Cesaroni, who had new trees planted in the park, including sequoias and cedars (still partially visible), together with liberty-style flower beds.
In 1926, it passed to the lawyer Luigi Parodi, who used to organize many cultural meetings and gatherings. Finally, in 1996, the villa was purchased by the Italian State which included it in its local protection and enhancement project; the villa was thus opened to the public.

Villa Colle del Cardinale can be accessed via a long sloping avenue; at the end of the latter, there’s a baroque staircase which leads to a terrace. The building, with a rectangular plan, develops over three levels: the mezzanine, the first noble floor (served by a sumptuous staircase), and the second attic floor – there’s also the basement. The central hall has a wooden coffered ceiling and walls decorated with frescoes by Salvio Savini (1581). Further pictorial decorations were added by Marcello Leopardi, Pietro Carattoli and Carlo Labruzzi, who enriched the dining room with “trompe l’oeil” works of art.

To the left of the villa, there’s the XVIII century garden on three levels, connected by stairs; on the right of the structure, there’s the English park with the lake and the island.

The park and the gardens are currently scheduled for a thorough restoration.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)