Villa Valmarana "La Rotonda"

Built in the 1570's for the prelate Paolo Almerico, the more famous invention of Palladio - is an original example of villa of the prelate. La Rotonda differentiates in the scenery of the venetian villas of the latter half of the XVIth century: it's a suburban mansion, refined meeting point for the aristocratic of Vicenza, place of amusement and "literary idleness." Palladio probably was ispired by the roman Pantheon, then named "Rotonda", resuming the classical theme of the "sacred space". Also the sixteenth century frescoes, by Alessandro and Giambattista Maganza and by Anselmo Canera, appear in tuning with this celebrating program.

Villa Pisani Ferri

In 1523 the venetian lord Giovanni Pisani bought in a auction sale the possession confiscated to Nogarole family, which in the Cambrai war was along with the Imperials, at Bagnolo (near Lonigo). The river facade has very different spirit: two strong small towers contain a loggia with three rustic ashlars arcades, dominated by a tympanum. We don't forget that in the Lonigo area this venetian family also built two other famous buildings: the monumental Palace in the center of the town and the famous Rocca Pisani planned by Vincenzo Scamozzi.

Villa Barbarigo

Among villas erected near Vicenza for Venetian patricians, Villa Barbarigo distinguishes itself because it was built for a dogal family , that in the centuries loyally served Serenissima. For this reason it deserves the title of Villa of the Dogi (definition that in the past some authors had not correctly attributed to all the venetian villas). Here everything cooperates to glorify the Barbarigo family: the majesty of the architecture on four floors, the scenographic and solemn façade crowned by daggers and flanked with two wings of porticos, the wide cycle of frescoes that fills an area of approximately 430 sqm.

Other Villas worth to be visited are:
Villa Trissino; Villa Repeta, Villa Saraceno, Villa Pojana and Villa Valmarana "Ai Nani".