villas and palaces

Villa Menafoglio Litta Panza
From the refined eighteenth century to the twentieth century avant-garde

Dated back to XVIII cent. and built for Marquis Paolo Antonio Menafoglio and enlarged by the architect Luigi Canonica, by Duke Pompeo Litta Visconti Arese’s appointment, in the neoclassic period, the big noble mansion house is U-shaped and it turns to the slant (in discesa) o slope (in salita) of Biumo Superiore Hill. In the 30ies of last century , it was bought by Panza Family who entrusted Mr Portaluppi, a famous architect, with the renovation of some interiors and, partially, of its large garden. The villa is well-known for the contemporary art collection Count Giuseppe Panza gathered there. In so doing, he, boldly, placed Renaissance furniture and XIX-Century armchairs near some African and Pre-columbian works of art, stuccoes and neo-rococo consoles close to monochrome paintings by American artists, up to the big site-specific installations by Dan Flavin, Robert Irwin and James Turrell.

Length: 1/2 day
Car parking: free
Admission by ticket only
Tour suitable for individual tourists, groups, business meetings.

Other villas and palaces: Villa Cicogna Mozzoni - Bisuschio, Villa Della Porta Bozzolo - Casalzuigno, Villa Recalcati - Varese, Palazzo Estensi - Varese

For more information ask for the programme:
chiarapalumbo@arteparte.com

 

castles and strongholds

Rocca Angera
A sheer drop from the stronghold to Lake Maggiore

The “Rocca” is perched on a rocky spur overlooking Lake Maggiore. It was built on a previous structure by order of Milan archbishops in XII century and the noble Milan families, The Torrianis and The Viscontis, contended for it over the centuries. The Viscontis’ victory took place at the same time with the extension works and the embellishment of its interiors.
The Justice Room is extraordinarily beautiful and it houses the cycle of frescoes made by an anonimous artist called “Angera Master” in XIII century. The representation shows the events of the archbishop Ottone Visconti’s life and, in particular, his victory over The Torrianis in the battle of Desio in 1227. After being handed down to the Milan Repubblic, it has belonged to the Borromeos since 1449. The Doll and the Toy Museum is housed there.

Length: 1/2 day
Car parking: free
Admission by ticket only
Tour suitable for school-children, individual tourists, groups, business meeting

Other castles and strongholds: The Castle Visconti di San Vito - Somma Lombardo, Velate Tower - Varese

For more information ask for the programme:
chiarapalumbo@arteparte.com

 

parks and gardens

Toeplitz Park
A  XX - century eclectic garden

Giuseppe Toeplitz, one of the founders of the Italian Commercial Bank, and Edvige, his wife, carried out this spectacular park. The couple gave Adam & Collins, two Parisian architects, the job of planning the park and they worked at that from 1926 to 1928. The big green area houses a majestic water flight of steps with its porphyry cords and it is enlived by fountains, jets of water, evergreen arboreous wings , geometric parterre and it culminates in a nymphaeum adorned with sky-blue mosaics. Water, the only protagonist of all the system, comes from a spring, called "Madonna's Platform", on Mount Martica and it is carried to a cistern located on the highest top of the property.

Length: 1/2 day
Car parking: free
Garden Admission: free
Tour suitable for school-children, individual tourists, groups, business meeting

Other parks and gardens: Recalcati Garden - Varese, Estensi Gardens and Mirabello Park - Varese, Mylius Park - Varese, Menafoglio Litta Panza Park - Varese.

For more information ask for the programme:
chiarapalumbo@arteparte.com