Villa Emo, Renaissance villa in Fanzolo, Italy
Villa Emo is a manor house in Fanzolo featuring a central block flanked by two wings connected through covered colonnades. The facade is crowned by a triangular pediment rising above the entrance loggia.
Leonardo Emo commissioned architect Andrea Palladio to design this estate between 1555 and 1565. The building was created to serve as a working agricultural property.
The interior shows painted frescoes by Giovanni Battista Zelotti depicting Roman mythology woven together with agricultural themes of the region. These artworks reveal how art and farming were connected in the thinking of the villa's original owners.
Access is through guided tours available in multiple languages that require advance reservation. Visitors should check opening days beforehand and plan for the time needed to walk through the building and grounds.
The property continues to function as a working farm with active fields surrounding the buildings. This makes it an uncommon example among Palladio villas that have maintained their original agricultural purpose to this day.
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