Villa Olmo, Como (must see)
Villa Olmo is a neoclassic jewel on a grand scale, dating from the 18th century, designed by Swiss architect Simone Cantoni. The Villa Olmo was a summer palace for the Italian noble family Odescalchi. It is the most sumptuous and celebrated of Como residences. The building was named for the gigantic elm tree in the front garden.
The Villa Olmo had two gardens; an Italian in front and an English park in the back. According to legend, Pliny the Younger, a native of Como, planted the great elm as he created the park around the mansion.
The original central neoclassical part of the building is raised and faced with massive columns decorated with depictions of Plato, Solon, Thales, Socrates, and Pythagoras, created by sculptor Francesco Carabelli. Inside, an immense atrium, three floors high, takes up the entire area of the Villa. An enormous arch leads to a grand staircase.
After the Atrium is the ballroom with a pavilion vault holding frescoes by 18th-century artist Domenico Pozzi showing the Gods of Olympus. Beyond the ballroom are a series of rooms dedicated to reception and conversation. They are decorated with stuccos and gildings and are named for Greek Goddess Dionysus, Ariadne, and Artemis. On the second floor, mythological adornments fill the rooms honoring Olympus. There is also a medallion depicting the Apotheosis of Heracles.
Innocenzo Odescalchi, the first owner, enlarged the building and added wings. Among the notable guests of the Villa Olmo was Napoleon in 1797, emperors of Austria Francis II and Ferdinand I in 1816, 1826, and 1838, the poet Ugo Foscolo in 1808, and the general Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1859.
A portico, two balconies, and a small theatre were added under the ownership of Marquis Guido Visconti. The garden park was rearranged, and the ground floor stuccos were refurbished. Since 1924, the Villa Olmo has been owned by the City of Como, which has kept it as a venue for cultural events.
The Villa Olmo had two gardens; an Italian in front and an English park in the back. According to legend, Pliny the Younger, a native of Como, planted the great elm as he created the park around the mansion.
The original central neoclassical part of the building is raised and faced with massive columns decorated with depictions of Plato, Solon, Thales, Socrates, and Pythagoras, created by sculptor Francesco Carabelli. Inside, an immense atrium, three floors high, takes up the entire area of the Villa. An enormous arch leads to a grand staircase.
After the Atrium is the ballroom with a pavilion vault holding frescoes by 18th-century artist Domenico Pozzi showing the Gods of Olympus. Beyond the ballroom are a series of rooms dedicated to reception and conversation. They are decorated with stuccos and gildings and are named for Greek Goddess Dionysus, Ariadne, and Artemis. On the second floor, mythological adornments fill the rooms honoring Olympus. There is also a medallion depicting the Apotheosis of Heracles.
Innocenzo Odescalchi, the first owner, enlarged the building and added wings. Among the notable guests of the Villa Olmo was Napoleon in 1797, emperors of Austria Francis II and Ferdinand I in 1816, 1826, and 1838, the poet Ugo Foscolo in 1808, and the general Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1859.
A portico, two balconies, and a small theatre were added under the ownership of Marquis Guido Visconti. The garden park was rearranged, and the ground floor stuccos were refurbished. Since 1924, the Villa Olmo has been owned by the City of Como, which has kept it as a venue for cultural events.
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Villa Olmo on Map
Sight Name: Villa Olmo
Sight Location: Como, Italy (See walking tours in Como)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Como, Italy (See walking tours in Como)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Como, Italy
Create Your Own Walk in Como
Creating your own self-guided walk in Como is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Como Lakeshore Walking Tour
English novelist Mary Shelley declared visitors to Italy are in danger of becoming: "enjoyers of the beauties of nature, the elegance of art, the delights of climate, the recollections of the past, and the pleasures of society." All this she found on the shores of Lake Como. From Roman writer Pliny the Younger onward, visitors and natives of Como would have agreed.
The alpine lake is... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
The alpine lake is... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Como Introduction Walking Tour
The Roman writer Pliny the Younger wrote to his friend, "What is the news from Como, mine and your delight?" Como is a place of churches, gardens, temples, museums, parks, and palaces. Its nearness to spectacular Lake Como and the Swiss and Italian Alps has made the area a travelers' delight from the time of Pliny the Younger until today.
In the 1st century BC, none other than... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
In the 1st century BC, none other than... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles