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Villa Emo in Vedelago, in the province of Treviso, was built by the Venetian nobleman Leonardo Emo between 1561 and 1566 and based on a project by the Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio.
The latter was actually trying to create something new and capable of combining the needs of agricultural life with the ancient architecture – Villa Emo represents the perfect outcome of these efforts.

Since 1996, this building has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with the other Palladian villas in the Veneto Region and in Vicenza.

THE VILLA

The entrances to the building, perspectively lined up, leads to the main structure, elevated and connected to the ground by a long stone ramp; on its flanks, there are two rectilinear and symmetrical wings of “barchesse” – the rural structures – featuring several dovecotes as well.
The internal decoration of the Villa by Giovanni Battista Zelotti, a Renaissance painter, celebrates – through scenes inspired by mythology and the life of farmers – the domestic and family virtues, the social understanding between landowners and farmers, and the invitation to hard work and undisputed commitment to humble, rural life.

THE GARDEN

Around the villa, open on all fronts, offering a perfect view of the surrounding plain, there’s an English landscape park. It was created after the villa and now features some leisure areas along with detailed information about the resident plant species. A large tree-lined avenue and a long gallery of hornbeams are what remains of the original, old garden.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)