Italian
In the charming Zerota countryside stands the building, full of charm and history, commissioned at the end of the seventeenth century by the Dente family, now a hub for cultural activities such as theater performances and exhibitions, as well as recreational activities like reading and studying.
The beginnings of Villa Guidini
Villa Guidini has its origins in 1699 from the Dente family, a Venetian family dedicated to the grain trade, which was one of the fifteen households descended from as many citizens who, at the time, distinguished themselves in repressing the Tiepolo conspiracy.
Around the mid-nineteenth century, the purchase of the Villa was made by the Swiss engineer and patrician Giovan Battista Guidini, known as Titta (1812-1885), uncle of the architect Augusto Guidini. After his death, the famous Villa passed to his son Carlo Pietro Guidini, a merchant and patron (1837-1897), and upon the latter’s death, the sole beneficiary turned out to be the only son, the engineer Giovanni Battista Guidini, also known as Giò Batta (1865-1931).
The building in its beauty
Its façade faces the now downsized park. It is divided into panels and fields with the central body featuring a small terrace on the second floor and a pediment framed on the sides by late Baroque-style curved handles. The surprising, yet original interior is characterized by the stuccoes of Giovanni Bittante, specifically, birds, flowers, and fruit.
The small chapel of Sant’Ignazio, in the Oratory, shines for its beauty and reflects itself in its interiors decorated with stuccoes, still by Bittante; the marble altar is surmounted by a painting depicting the Madonna of Mount Carmel with Baby Jesus, as well as the saints Anthony of Padua and Ignatius of Loyola.
Location in the Conche dell’Agordo valley and the role of the Venetian Villas
Villa Guidini is perfectly nestled in the naturalistic context of the Conche hill and is, as previously mentioned, surrounded by a beautiful park, much smaller than the original one, distinguished by a fine selection of noble plants and centuries-old oak trees. In addition to the presence of colorful peacocks, which make staying at the Villa a unique and fascinating experience.
The genesis of the Venetian Villas takes its first cue from the idea of Venetian citizens to have such residences as a luxury only for aristocratic families. Only later were these settings extended to merchant families and less affluent citizens, characterizing the changing history.
Until modern times
Since 1929, after the Guidini family (especially Giobatta) donated the villa to the Association of Veterans and Fighters of Venice. The same association found itself in urgent need of at least partial restructuring, a goal that was achieved thanks to the Constraint Decree (1972) and pursued the idea of transforming the property into a nursing home for war veterans; however, everything disappeared due to a lack of adequate resources.
And so, in 1979, the villa was leased for thirty years to the Municipality of Zero Branco (TV) which, some time later, acquired full ownership of it.
Today, the socio-cultural transformation of the complex is highlighted by the well-stocked Municipal Library with its study hall and the Auditorium, venues for events, meetings, exhibitions, and cultural events, as well as a restaurant with interesting proposals of quality cuisine, an ideal location for events such as ceremonies or corporate dinners, as well as for enjoying a simple aperitif at sunset.
