Villa Vecchia, Renaissance villa in Monte Porzio Catone, Italy.
Villa Vecchia is a Renaissance residence in Frascati with sprawling gardens and classical Italian architecture spread across multiple levels. The building features stone staircases connecting different floors throughout its structure.
Cardinal Giovanni Ricci commissioned the villa in 1558, creating an estate for rest and agricultural purposes on the hillside. The property developed near Villa Rufina as part of the landholdings in the region.
The walls and ceilings still display artistic paintings by Cornelio de Witte, created during Cardinal Altemps ownership of the property. These decorative elements give the interior spaces a distinctive visual quality.
The property now functions as a hotel offering rooms, swimming facilities, and free parking for guests. The location provides convenient access from the main transportation routes of the surrounding region.
Archaeological excavations in the villa's gardens uncovered sections of ancient Roman cobblestone roads beneath the Renaissance foundations. These discoveries reveal that the site had been occupied and traveled upon since classical times.
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