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Villa Elodia is a historic abode located in the centre of the village, surrounded by a high battled wall. Its construction should date back to the second half of the 1600s, but it could be older.

In 1811, the Napoleonic land register attributed this property to the Redolfi family, landowners of Trivignano. In 1821, Francesco Redolfi sold the whole property to the noble Domenico Rubini, who began the expansion of the complex, following the aesthetic and cultural taste of the nobility and the rich Venetian bourgeoisie.

The main facade of the villa has prominent elements of neoclassic origin: the Doric pillars around the central body, the tympanum with the central rose window with three beautiful statues, the double stone staircase leading to the main floor: they are all elements that remind us of neoclassic taste, inspired by Andrea Palladio and extremely popular among the nobility of the province of Udine and the areas next to Veneto Region, between XVIII and early XIX century.

The “Empire style” central hall features elegant Ionic columns and a refined statue of a woman, probably the work of Canova’s “workshop”. On the sides of the hall, in a symmetrical position, there are lounges and the dining room. All rooms are embellished with Murano chandeliers and original furniture.

Domenico Rubini also expanded the rural buildings and built several cellars for wheat and corn, wine pressing and silkworm breeding; he did so, following in the very footsteps of many other Venetian patricians of that time. As a matter of fact, the “barchesse” buildings (structures for agricultural and commercial use) used to be just as important as the main abodes within the same compound.

Upon the count’s death in 1848, the estate of Trivignano was inherited by his son Carlo, who lived there with his family and probably made some further modifications, especially in the park. He was assisted by architect Andrea Scala.

After Carlo’s death, the estate became a property of his oldest daughter Marion, who gave the villa its name for a few years. For some time, Marion did very well with silkworm breeding and her property income, but at the outbreak of the First World War, the villa was requisitioned and turned into a military hospital.
In 1954, the property was purchased by Elodia Orgnani Martina and is still managed by his heirs today.

Today, the villa consists of a central body and two rearward side bodies. In the central structure, there is an external staircase with two ramps, made of stone and wrought iron, which leads to the main floor hall.
The balconies on the first floor have a stone balustrade and the tympanum is embellished with three statues. On the main floor, in the centre of the main hall, there is an exquisite marble statue. All rooms have frescoes, stuccos and delicate decorations.

The park
The park still looks like a typical English style outdoor facility; over the centuries it has retained the Italian XIX century romantic style elements, like a pond, small canals, avenues, woods and a “brolo”. The latter means “garden” or “orchard”, originating from the late Latin “brogilus” – of Celtic origin.
This type of gardens used to be built around a house and crowded with fruit trees.
Battled fencing walls surround the whole compound.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)