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- Jan 6, 2013
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1. The History
Compared to the other three villas I explored, there is quite a lot of info on this place. It even has its own website: HERE
Villa Mocenigo Mainardi is located in the "Guazzi" district near Padua. It was built by the patrician family of the Mocenigo and was one of the most luxurious and important villas of Abano Terme. It hosted several famous figures including Carlo Goldoni, Giacomo Leopardi and Giacomo Casanova dure to the proximity of the spa which cures headaches. In 1752 Carlo Goldoni wrote the comedy "Bagni d'Abano" and in 1779 noblewoman Pisana Mocenigo hosted Giacomo Casanova, who was amazed by the walls of the palace "solidly in the grace of their majestic thickness." The complex occupies an area of 70 hectares in which there are 9 separate buildings including a small oratorio dedicated to Sant'Anna directly on the street. Villa Mocenigo Mainardi is at the center of the property, with its long porches adjacent to it. In its prime it would have had manicured gardens, shady walks, flowerbeds, labyrinths, boxwood hedges, and ball-shaped bushes. The gate of the residence is made of wrought iron and is embellished by two Bonazza sculptures. The interior of the villa had Venetian floors, tailor pianos, paintings, nineteenth-century furniture, Murano fireplaces and chandeliers.
With the collapse of the Serenissima Republic of Venice (Trattato di Campoformio-1797), Villa Mocenigo passed to a Jewish family from Trieste. In 1938, the Sacerdoti family sold all their possessions, including the villa, after creating a collection center for tobacco drying. The Villa began to decay with the onset of World War II when the Fascists entered the villa destroying, among other things, the library containing documents, reports, prints, lease and sale contracts, related to the Mocenigo and, Consequence, to the history of Abano Terme. In 1945 the bombing of a train loaded with ammunition that was nearby and subsequent explosion caused considerable damage for a few kilometers radius. In 1968 Commissioner Leonildo Mainardi purchased the villa and the annexed factories and began reconstruction and modernization work. This was never completed and the villa fell into disuse. Now the Villa is waiting for an important renovation to be brought back to its original splendor.
2. The Explore
Final report from my Italy trip. This was actually a chance find. Returning back to base after exploring Villa Sgaravatti, a couple of miles away I went round a roundabout and got a chance view of this place through the gate. I immediately went round the roundabout again, parked up and started to investigate. With a high wall down the right hand side, a railway line at the back and no obvious entry from the front, the lane down the left hand side proved fruitful. So in I went. Didn’t have much time so headed straight for the house itself. The doors were wide open so in I popped. This place was by far the best nick of the villas I explored but pretty much empty inside. Nether-the-less a very enjoyable ‘chance’ explore!
3. The Pictures
What’s this?
img9817 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Interesting!
img9814 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Very interesting!
img9815 by HughieDW, on Flickr
No way in here!
img9818 by HughieDW, on Flickr
One of the two Bonazza statues that flank the gates:
img9816 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Small oratorio dedicated to Sant'Anna:
img9838 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And we’re in and on the way to the house:
img9819 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Up the steps to the house:
img9821 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Wonder who that head is above the door
img9822 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pretty sparse inside:
img9823 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9825 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Nice marble fireplace mind:
img9824 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9827 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9828 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9829 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9830 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Mmm…that bathroom suite is going to need changing!
img9831 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Here’s some of the extensive out-buildings:
img9834 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9820 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9835 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Including this massive barn-like building:
img9836 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9837 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Thanks for looking!
Compared to the other three villas I explored, there is quite a lot of info on this place. It even has its own website: HERE
Villa Mocenigo Mainardi is located in the "Guazzi" district near Padua. It was built by the patrician family of the Mocenigo and was one of the most luxurious and important villas of Abano Terme. It hosted several famous figures including Carlo Goldoni, Giacomo Leopardi and Giacomo Casanova dure to the proximity of the spa which cures headaches. In 1752 Carlo Goldoni wrote the comedy "Bagni d'Abano" and in 1779 noblewoman Pisana Mocenigo hosted Giacomo Casanova, who was amazed by the walls of the palace "solidly in the grace of their majestic thickness." The complex occupies an area of 70 hectares in which there are 9 separate buildings including a small oratorio dedicated to Sant'Anna directly on the street. Villa Mocenigo Mainardi is at the center of the property, with its long porches adjacent to it. In its prime it would have had manicured gardens, shady walks, flowerbeds, labyrinths, boxwood hedges, and ball-shaped bushes. The gate of the residence is made of wrought iron and is embellished by two Bonazza sculptures. The interior of the villa had Venetian floors, tailor pianos, paintings, nineteenth-century furniture, Murano fireplaces and chandeliers.
With the collapse of the Serenissima Republic of Venice (Trattato di Campoformio-1797), Villa Mocenigo passed to a Jewish family from Trieste. In 1938, the Sacerdoti family sold all their possessions, including the villa, after creating a collection center for tobacco drying. The Villa began to decay with the onset of World War II when the Fascists entered the villa destroying, among other things, the library containing documents, reports, prints, lease and sale contracts, related to the Mocenigo and, Consequence, to the history of Abano Terme. In 1945 the bombing of a train loaded with ammunition that was nearby and subsequent explosion caused considerable damage for a few kilometers radius. In 1968 Commissioner Leonildo Mainardi purchased the villa and the annexed factories and began reconstruction and modernization work. This was never completed and the villa fell into disuse. Now the Villa is waiting for an important renovation to be brought back to its original splendor.
2. The Explore
Final report from my Italy trip. This was actually a chance find. Returning back to base after exploring Villa Sgaravatti, a couple of miles away I went round a roundabout and got a chance view of this place through the gate. I immediately went round the roundabout again, parked up and started to investigate. With a high wall down the right hand side, a railway line at the back and no obvious entry from the front, the lane down the left hand side proved fruitful. So in I went. Didn’t have much time so headed straight for the house itself. The doors were wide open so in I popped. This place was by far the best nick of the villas I explored but pretty much empty inside. Nether-the-less a very enjoyable ‘chance’ explore!
3. The Pictures
What’s this?
img9817 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Interesting!
img9814 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Very interesting!
img9815 by HughieDW, on Flickr
No way in here!
img9818 by HughieDW, on Flickr
One of the two Bonazza statues that flank the gates:
img9816 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Small oratorio dedicated to Sant'Anna:
img9838 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And we’re in and on the way to the house:
img9819 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Up the steps to the house:
img9821 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Wonder who that head is above the door
img9822 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pretty sparse inside:
img9823 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9825 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Nice marble fireplace mind:
img9824 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9827 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9828 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9829 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9830 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Mmm…that bathroom suite is going to need changing!
img9831 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Here’s some of the extensive out-buildings:
img9834 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9820 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9835 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Including this massive barn-like building:
img9836 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img9837 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Thanks for looking!
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