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Excerpt from: “Gardens of Veneto Villas”, by Camilla Zanarotti, Silvana Editoriale.

The complex stands on the foundations of a fourteenth-century Carrara castle. Marco Contarini, Procurator of San Marco, was responsible for the impressive works that began in 1676 and transformed the complex into one of the most sumptuous mainland residences of the Venetian Republic. It was the site of phantasmagorical performances aimed at amazing the illustrious guests of the Venetian nobility and foreign princes that often visited Piazzola.

After a long period of neglect, the property was acquired in 1852 by the Duke Silvestro Camerini, who began an extensive programme of restoration carried out between the nineteenth and twentieth century.
This period saw the creation of the extensive gardens with the planting of large masses of trees and the digging of the lake.

The current grounds extend for approximately 45 hectares and are split into various sections, linked by imposing avenues. Large woods give way to clearings and valuable artefacts, and the many canals and watercourses form a complex and rich water system that supplies fountains and fish ponds as well as the picturesque lake with its island.

The property is now owned by the Veneto Region and is undergoing a careful programme of restoration.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)