Italian
In the heart of Morocco (in the town of Mogliano Veneto), an architectural gem stands on the banks of the Dese river, nestled halfway between Mogliano Veneto and Venice: it is Villa Morosini-Gatterburg, Volpi di Misurata, where we are taken by the current owner, Erminio Cappellesso.
MOGLIANO VENETO (TV) – Villa Morosini-Gatterburg, Volpi di Misurata, is an elegant Venetian Villa that stands majestically along the Napoleonic road of Terraglio, a silent witness of centuries of history and transformations.
Waiting for us for the visit to the Villa, we meet Cappellesso Erminio, the current owner of the Villa, who tells us about past eras and accompanies us to the entrance of what is now a splendid Villa used for tourist rentals, but which just twenty years ago was in a complete state of abandonment.
Historical background
The complex, as it appears today, is the result of the transformations it has undergone over time. The Villa was in fact built in several phases. The earliest reliable cartography – which shows the existence of a mill, located on the northern bank of the Dese River – would date it back to 1564. This would be the original body of the building, which was later transformed and expanded to give rise to Villa Morosini Gatterburg Volpi.
Only later (around 1590) the construction of a new building used as a farmhouse, on the southern bank of the Dese river, at the current barn of the Villa, will allow the transformation of the original mill into a residential building, then into a manor Villa with outbuildings and park (1680).
The Villa underwent several transformations, starting from 1670 until 1859, before embarking on a new destiny in 1904, with the purchase by the industrialist Giuseppe Volpi.
From mill to military command
The oldest part, dating back to the late 1600s or early 1700s, is the southern body, built on the site of the former mill on the bank of the Dese river, later accompanied by the main body to the east facing the Terraglio.
In the 1700s, the western building was constructed to define the inner courtyard.
The carriage entrance and stables, located to the northwest, date back to the early 1800s; while the oratory, situated at the northern end of the villa, was built in the mid-1800s.
Subsequently, the connection between the oratory and the entrance hall was built and in the first half of the 1900s numerous internal partitions were constructed.
During the World Wars, the residence first served as a military hospital and then as a command center.Only recently, thanks to the purchase by Mr. Cappellesso who invested in important renovations according to historical criteria, Villa Morosini Gatterburg Volpi has regained its ancient glory. The Villa has indeed undergone a meticulous process of restoration and enhancement, bringing back its magnificence and opening the doors to an unparalleled stay experience.
Palladio or Mocenigo?
Historical research conducted confirms that the building, although of great value, is not the work of Andrea Palladio, as erroneously reported by Venturini in his “Le ville del Terraglio” and as one is led to believe by the inscription on the plaque in the carriage entrance of the villa. The plaque, still visible today, which attributes the commissioning of the construction to the noble Leonardo Mocenigo and consequently the design of the Villa to Andrea Palladio, was probably transferred by Lorenzo Morosini as an ornamental motif or as a reminder of the now destroyed building that existed on the east side of Terraglio and that the Morosini family had acquired from the Mocenigo (source: Panaciulli M.P. “Villa Volpi storia di un equivoco” IUAV 1996).
The architecture and curious anecdotes
The architecture of the villa is a fascinating mix of styles and periods, reflections of the multiple additions that have taken place over the centuries. The main body, imposing and heterogeneous, tells the story of the transformations and interventions that have shaped the residence over time.
The rustic annex, witness of a past as a mill, is an element of great historical-artistic interest. The traces of its evolution are visible in the stones with holes, ancient supports of the mill wheels, and in the modifications made by the Morosini family and subsequently by the Volpi family.
The Villa stands today as a precious treasure trove of history, with its architecture that speaks of centuries of change. A place that deserves to be explored to discover the hidden secrets of one of the most fascinating and historic residences in the region.
Mr. Cappellesso leads us inside and tells us a funny anecdote: during the restoration of the Villa, which had been completely abandoned for some time, the only interior area that seemed to still preserve a lived-in atmosphere was a room located on the mezzanine floor, where the ancient wardrobe of the Young Countess was located. It was almost as if that place had remained unchanged over time, as if the passing of years had not dared knock on that door.
This Villa is a place full of charm, which also faced great risks. About 10 years ago, a slow combustion occurred that started to burn, without flames, the load-bearing beam. After noticing a faint smell of smoke, Mr. Cappellesso tells us that he had the foresight to call the Fire Brigade. It took them a whole 12 hours before they managed to tame the silent combustion of the wood.
Current use: an experience of staying in an architectural gem
Villa Volpi continues to weave its millennia-old history among the frescoes of tradition and the vibrant notes of contemporary life. Although its past is imbued with different epochs and stories, the Villa is now much more than a historic monument: it is a living residence that blends the ancient and the modern in an elegant balance.
The 27 luxury apartments inside Villa Volpi offer a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the history of two distinct eras. The residence, with its seventeenth-century charm and the touch of elegance from the early 1900s, is the ideal starting point to explore the beauties of Venice and Treviso. In addition to being a highly sought-after tourist destination to visit the splendid City of Mogliano Veneto and nearby Venice, Villa Volpi is presented as the ideal location for business and commercial stays, with a maximum duration of 18 months.
After a long wait, Villa Volpi stands today once again as an architectural gem, ready to offer its guests an exclusive stay experience, combining the historical charm of its ancient nobility with modern comforts.
