Villa Gallarati Scotti

Not to be missed

In May, in particular, the colors of the garden are really very beautiful; a suggestion that is repeated in the fall. During the warm season, different kinds of events are offered from year to year. At certain times musical events have been offered, given the excellent acoustics, and cultural events such as lectures and painting exhibitions. The halls are also used for private events, so it is always best for the visitor to call and make sure that the facility can be visited on the desired days.

A bit of history

The oldest core of the Villa dates back to at least the early 1500s. Three were the most important families who inhabited it: the Counts Orsato of Padua, the Cittadella Vigodarzere family, and the Gallarati Scotti family of Milan, who still own it today. Prominent figures of Italian culture and beyond stayed in this house, such as Giacomo Puccini, the painter Arturo Rietti, Alcide De Gasperi, Benedetto Croce, and many others. It was a field hospital during World War I. Among other things, in the 1920s Aurelia Cittadella Vigodarezere had a fruitful exchange of letters with the poet Rainer Maria Rilke(Lettere milanesi, published in 1956), while Duke Tommaso Gallarati Scotti, in addition to other important writings, composed the last drama performed by Eleonora Duse, the Così sia.

Curiosities

The Villa, given its particular structure, was a nationwide meteorological observatory in the late 1800s, Count Antonio Cittadella Vigodarzere, the then owner, being president of the Italian Meteorological Society.