Villa Ghirlanda Silva, 17th-century architectural complex in Cinisello Balsamo, Italy.

Villa Ghirlanda Silva is a baroque architectural complex from the 17th century in Cinisello Balsamo, featuring several decorated halls including the Mirror Room and the Venus and Adonis Room. The building displays the ornate style typical of that era with elaborately designed interiors.

Donato I Silva had the villa built around 1660 on a 16th-century predecessor possibly linked to Andrea Palladio, with Gian Domenico Richini, son of Francesco Maria, supervising the work. His son Gerardo continued the decoration, and Donato II Silva completed the construction and the Italian-style garden. Ercole Silva transformed the garden into Italy's first fully realised English landscape garden in the first decade of the 19th century.

The south wing houses a Contemporary Photography Museum, while other sections serve for municipal ceremonies and exhibitions. This dual purpose keeps the place active in the town's cultural life.

You can explore the grounds from Tuesday through Saturday, with guided tours organized through the municipal administration. It is helpful to check ahead about opening times, as these may vary depending on the season or special events.

Ercole Silva, author of the 1801 treatise Dell'arte dei giardini all'inglese, began transforming the garden in the first decade of the 19th century; it is described as the first completed English-style garden made in Italy. His nephew Gerolamo Ghirlanda inherited the villa and its naturalistic, archaeological and art collections.