Villa Levi, villa in Coviolo - Reggio nell'Emilia (RE)
Villa Levi is a large neoclassical country house near Reggio Emilia distinguished by a copper dome and an extended colonnade across its southern front. The building with its grand staircase is surrounded by gardens and parkland spanning approximately 35,000 square meters (86 acres), planted with tall plane trees, maples, and oaks.
Villa Levi was built in the early 1600s as a summer residence and underwent major renovations between 1790 and 1810 under architect Domenico Marchelli working for the Besenzi family. Architect Luigi Poletti added the distinctive copper dome and columned portico around 1830, giving the building its present-day Palladian appearance.
Villa Levi is closely connected to the wealthy Levi family, who maintained the estate for over eighty years and decorated it with detailed Liberty-style paintings created by artist Gaetano Chierici. The family was linked to notable figures such as explorer Raimondo Franchetti and composer Alberto Franchetti, showing how deeply the house was woven into local society.
The house itself is not regularly open to the public, but the gardens and parkland are accessible during local events and festivals throughout the year. Access is via a quiet country road with ample parking space, and the estate is easily reached by car or bus from nearby villages.
Scenes from the Italian TV series 'The War is Over' were filmed on Villa Levi's grounds in 2019, demonstrating the estate's continuing role as a setting for cultural and entertainment activities. The mix of historical architecture and modern productions shows how the villa brings together past and present.
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