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Wonder
Wonder  }  Trees and flowers

The grove of La Rotonda di Vicenza

Nature flourishes next to Palladian villa

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Where is

Veneto

Via della Rotonda, 45, 36100 Vicenza VI, Italia (0m s.l.m.)

Directions
map

What is it and where is the romantic grove of La Rotonda

Villa Almerico Capra, also known as La Rotonda, is an architectural jewel, a perfectly shaped villa designed by Andrea Palladio, nestled between the rolling hills of Vicenza and the Bacchiglione River, which has inspired countless architects over the centuries and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since '94. Yet we are not talking about her today, not directly at least. Alongside the geometries perfect in their forms and in the shimmering white that characterizes them, stands a collection of trees and plants that over time have created a veritable grove, and it is here that we now delve.

Why it is special: a forest that is reborn

The woods of fairy tales are often mysterious places, and the grove of the Rotunda, it really is for us: from the 1800s when it is thought to have arisen, it remained abandoned until 2024, when the owner of the villa, Count Nicolò Valmarana, decided to bring this wild grove back to health, a worthy complement to such a beautiful building. It is therefore a place never seen, to be discovered with curiosity, and to be experienced with respect for its sounds and silences, its colors and shadows, and all the life hidden within.

Not to be missed: an exceptional narrator

If you get the chance, try to let the Count tell you directly how this grove was born: his love for beauty and nature, and his commitment to sharing this heritage, will make you see the grove with different eyes. You will no longer be mere visitors, but you will look, if only for a moment, through the filter of memories, see the garden of childhood, and a dream come true.

A bit of history

The romantic grove was born during the 1800s. In the Napoleonic cadastre maps, this area was nothing but meadow. It can certainly be said that it developed during an unfortunate period: the decline of the Serenissima and its noble families. Garden and villa fell into neglect, and when in the mid-1900s the Valmarana family was able to begin restoration work, priority was given to the building, until today. Now that thanks to PNRR funds, the grove's turn has come, we just have to plan our visit.

Fun fact: the plants in the grove

The trees that populate the grove are mainly native species of the Berici Hills, but those accustomed to visiting historic gardens may notice some exotic oddities, so beloved in the 1800s. An example? The beautiful Cedar of Lebanon, on axis at the Southwest entrance. There are also a few centuries-old trees, no more than 200 years old.

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