Villa Contarini
Large sixteenth-century Venetian villa, enlarged in the seventeenth century into a palatial residence, with guided visits and a park of about 45 hectares.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The villa stands on the remains of a castle of the Dente family built around the year 1000, which later passed to the Carrara family and to a branch of the Contarini family. The central body dates from 1546, and the design is attributed to Andrea Palladio.
In the second half of the 17th century Marco Contarini, Procurator of St Mark's, enlarged the building, transforming it into a true palace and a place for entertainments. Later the property passed to the Giovannelli and the Correr families, who used it mainly for agricultural purposes.
In the 19th century the Camerini family bought the complex, restored it in an eclectic taste and placed in the lake the sculpture of the Cristo delle acque (Christ of the Waters) by Leonardo Bistolfi. In 1969-1970 Professor Giordano Emilio Ghirardi acquired the villa and made it a centre of culture and science. Since 2005 it has belonged to the Veneto Region, which manages its promotion.
Today the villa is presented as a museum of itself: visitors can see the rooms, including the auditorium with its curved gallery and the Sala della Musica (Music Room) above it, and the vast English-style park with a lake, fishponds and canals.
Highlights
- Central body of 1546, attributed to Andrea Palladio
- Auditorium with curved gallery and the Sala della Musica
- Park of about 45 hectares with lake, fishponds and tree-lined avenues
- Cristo delle acque by Leonardo Bistolfi on the island in the lake
- Antiques market on the last Sunday of the month
- Operated by
- Regione del Veneto
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
For young visitors the museum provides a short educational dossier (“Ragazzi in villa”).
Getting there & parking
Address: Via Luigi Camerini 1, Piazzola sul Brenta (PD), between Padua and Vicenza.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The visit to the villa is by compulsory guided tour, included in the ticket. Booking is recommended by telephoning the ticket office (every day 10:00–16:00, except Wednesday). For private or personalised visits, write to the secretariat. Dogs and other animals may not enter the villa or covered spaces; in the park dogs are admitted on a lead, with a bag for droppings and, if large, a muzzle. In bad weather access to the park may be closed. |
