Villa Angarano

Villa Angarano is one of the most beautiful Veneto villas located in Bassano del Grappa (Vi). Originally conceived by Andrea Palladio around 1548, only the side wings were built by this famous architect. The central part was built by Baldassare Longhena in the seventeenth century.
The building is since 1996 in the list of UNESCO World Heritage, together with other Palladian villas in Veneto.

History

Palladio built this villa in Bassano del Grappa for his best friend Giacomo Angarano but there’s no much left: only 2 “barchesse” (an outer side of the villa for the workers), next to the central villa.
The table of Palladio’s Four Books of Architecture give us an idea of what Palladio had in his mind: 2 barchesse with U shape to close up the central dominant Villa. The central body of the villa has been built by Baldassare Longhena in the seventeenth century.
From documents we know that on this spot, there was a building where Giacomo used to live and probably for this reason they start to build the barchesse here. The works have been stopped before starting the renovation of the house.

Design date of the villa is not sure, it has been designed probably around 1554, when Giacomo took an inheritance from his brother. Architecture was one of the Giacomo’s passion and his best friend Palladio, in 1570, dedicated to him the first half of the Four Books. Unfortunately, 18 years later, Giacomo had to return to his daughter in law’s family, which was widow, the entire dowry. This caused a financial collapse and Giacomo had to sell the Villa to the Venetian Patrician Giovanni Formenti.