Villa Cantoni, 19th century residential villa in Arona, Italy.
Villa Cantoni is a three-level residential building in Arona with a U-shaped layout, a viewing tower, and a central section facing Lake Maggiore. The property features artificial caves beneath a semicircular terrace, two pavilions connected to a private dock, and a separate chalet with a pitched roof.
The villa was built between 1870 and 1880, designed by engineer Vittorio Cantoni on land purchased from the Borromeo family in 1873. Its construction coincided with a period when wealthy families were establishing summer homes on the upper Italian lakes.
The interior spaces display Renaissance and neoclassical furnishings that reflect the taste of those who lived here. Frescoes adorn the walls, created by Venetian artists whose work still marks the rooms.
The villa sits directly on the lake and can be viewed from several vantage points that offer good perspectives of the grounds. Visitors should know that parts of the property are not fully accessible, and the best views are had from the water or from the opposite shoreline.
In September 1943, residents Irma and Victor Cantoni were arrested, causing the property to be abandoned for roughly 3 decades. This period of neglect paradoxically helped preserve many original features of the estate.
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