Villa C, Italy

Villa C is a massive Italian villa built in the early 1600s. Three floors high, the great entrance hall is elaborately embellished with frescoes and moulded plasterwork. Magnificently illuminated, the hall makes quite an impression. A gorgeous spiral staircase with pink walls and black wrought-iron bannisters and handrails sits just inside the main door. The ground-level stairwell is adorned with a shell-like design that fans out from the top.

Brief history of Villa C

According to historical records, a castle or mediaeval stronghold once stood here between the years 1500 and 1600. The property changed hands between counts and marquises in the first part of the 1600s, when the villa was rebuilt in the neo-baroque style. In the 1700s, the house changed hands again to another Italian noble who hired a renowned architect to undertake the second round of renovation. This was the time when the villa’s primary facade was updated to reflect modern neo-classical design. Also during this time, the gardens were replanted. In the late 1700s or early 1800s, a private chapel was built onto the side of the home.

At the end of the 19th century, a new count acquired Villa C, and he and his family furnished and decorated it with exquisite art and furnishings. The subsequent  owner, an engineer, called the villa home until the end of World War I. A wealthy family of distillers acquired it after the war.

In the 1930s, a painter bought Villa C and lived there until sometime in the 1960s. Working with painters, stuccatori (very talented plasterers), and gardeners, he painstakingly brought the villa back to its former glory. Unfortunately, the wine cellar, which contained many rare and pricey bottles, was plundered when the owner was away during World War II.

The villa has been abandoned ever since it was sold to a foreign company in the 1960s. It’s currently up for sale apparently without a price tag but with “private negotiation” on the table.

Two visits to this beautiful abandoned villa

I first visited this location in 2018, during my first road trip of Italy. On this trip I was drawn to the entrance hall and spiral stairs. During my 2022 Italy Road Trip there was opportunity to re-visit. Sadly, the years had not been to kind to Villa C. Unfortunately the stairs is now “decorated” with hideous graffiti tags. With more time on this revisit, I had plenty of time to roam and explore this large location. I was happy to find another stunning room, which was tucked away in the most bizarre corner of the lower floor. Secondly I was able to get to the upper floor of the staircase, and photograph a pretty little room above the skylight.