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Villa Fogazzaro
Villa Fogazzaro
A visit to the garden of Villa Fogazzaro offers the thrill of immersing yourself in a literary garden: in fact, it belonged to the mother of the poet and writer from Vicenza, Antonio Fogazzaro (1842-1911), who frequented it, mentioned it in many works, and "used" it as the setting for his most famous novel, Piccolo Mondo Antico (1895).
In one of his short stories, Fogazzaro describes the property as a small villa beaten by the waves at the foot of a mountain dressed in olive trees, vines, and laurels, emphasizing the importance of the surrounding landscape. Marquis Giuseppe Roi (great-grandson of Antonio Fogazzaro), who donated the villa to FAI – Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano – also liked to recall how the natural scenery is vital for such a small garden, which gains beauty thanks to its opening onto the lake.
According to Roi, even the mountain in the background is part of the enchantment, like a theatrical backdrop with colors that change according to the season, the hour, and the weather conditions. The best description of the structure of the garden is the one that Fogazzaro himself gives us in Piccolo Mondo Antico: “the house was flanked to the west, towards the village, by a small hanging garden on two levels, to the east, towards the church, by a small terrace thrown on pillars that frame a piece of churchyard“.
The garden, thanks to Marquis Roi, has remained unchanged. Given its small size, great care has always been taken in maintaining the internal order, made up of a balance of shapes and colors, to which every plant must conform, from climbers to citrus trees, from palms to cypresses, to seasonal plants. The green spaces include a small terrace with a Lady Banks' rose bower and a vegetable garden – connected to the villa by a row of cypresses – called "Franco's garden" in reference to the protagonist of Piccolo Mondo Antico.
Visiting the garden of Villa Fogazzaro is an exciting journey into a genuine literary garden. It belonged to the mother of the poet and writer Antonio Fogazzaro from Vicenza (1842- 1911). He spent a great deal of time here, referenced it in many of his works and made it a setting for his best-known NOVEL, The Little World of the Past (1895).
In one of his short stories, Fogazzaro describes the property as a little VILLA washed by WAVES at the foot of a mountain decked in OLIVE trees, VINES and laurel too emphasizing the importance of the landscape around it. The late Marchese Giuseppe Roi (Fogazzaro's great-grandson), who GAVE the VILLA to FAI – Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano – likewise noted how important the natural setting is for such a small garden, whose beauty are enhanced by its lakeside location.
As Roi saw it, the mountains in the background are part of the spell it casts: a theatrical backdrop with colours that change with the seasons, time of day, weather condi- tions. The best description of the garden's layout is GIVEN by Fogazzaro in The Little World of the Past: “the house was bordered to the west, on the VILLAGE side, by a hanging garden on two LEVELS, to the east, on the church side, by a small terrace supported on pillars which framed a square of church land“.
Credit goes to Marchese Roi for keeping Fogazzaro's garden unchanged. Given the garden's small size, great care has always been taken to maintain its internal order, the balance of lines and colours, to which every plant must adhere: climbing plants, citrus trees, palm trees, cypresses, annual plants. There is also a terrace with a Lady Banks’ rose COVERED bower and a VEGETABLE garden called "Franco's garden" in reference to the main character of The Little World of the Past.
Info www.fondoambiente.it
Villa Fogazzaro
Via Antonio Fogazzaro, Frazione Oria 22010 Valsolda
For information on access procedures, contact FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano
Tel. 02 467615296
Email proprieta@fondoambiente.it
Excerpt from “I GIRADINI”, Grandi Giardini Italiani (www.grandigiardini.it) – CCIAA Como, Province of Como. The complete guide can be consulted at http://www.co.camcom.it/guideturismo
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