An almost hidden jewel

The villa, located at the beginning of Via Val d'Olivi along the road leading to Poggio, was erected in 1898 on a project by Pio Soli, which took up decorative motifs already present in other villas in the city, such as Villa Mi Sol and Villa Bevilacqua Marsaglia. reflecting the Art Nouveau style that was lived in the city of flowers at the end of the nineteenth century.

Starting with Charles Garnier, the Villa well represents what was the architectural trend of the time: glass and wrought iron canopies, fish flake slate roof, Parisian fashionable attics, wrought iron lace at the apex of the roof.
Here especially striking is the richness of the decorations and the beautiful quadrangular windowed tower.
The interiors and exteriors of the building, including the large garden surrounding the building, were skilfully cared for by the stucco decorators Luca Casella and Giovanni Bagliani.

After being owned by Mrs. Teodolinda Rebuffini Tomba in the early twentieth century, the structure was owned for many years by Duke Pietro d'Acquarone, who held the position of Minister of the Royal House from 1939 to 1946.

In the vast garden surrounding the building, which has now become a public park, there is a characteristic and original gazebo, while the rich decoration that distinguishes the slender quadrangular tower with windows and attic stands out, reminiscent of the models proposed by Charles Garnier in the Riviera between 1880 and 1890.

Next to the building there are two adjoining buildings, in which the stables of the villa were once housed, which was also occasionally frequented by Queen Helen of Savoy during her stays in our city.

Since 1973 it has been managed by the Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the House of the Clergy, to live a stay that regenerates the spirit and the body.

(texts: from Blog Oliva Verde and A.Gandolfo; personal archive images)