Welcome to Granze, discover Villa Ca’ Conti

In Italy there are many hidden treasures. The Italian poet Eugenio Montale said that history is not a devastating bulldozer, but leaves behind some holes and hides places… and many monuments. In Veneto, for example, there is a great Villa from 16th century, Villa Ca’ Conti, in the reading village of Granze, near Rovigo. You know, Granze means Granaio (i.e. barn), probably because this village was one of the centers collecting the agricultural products from the Benedictine monastic properties. First linked to Vescovana, it become a self-standing municipality in 1914.

Villa Ca’ Conti, history and artistic value

Villa Ca’ Conti is an extraordinary location with frescoed rooms and a charming reading corner. It was built in 1580 by the count of Padua Alberto Conti, then Cristoforo Camerini – Duke Silvestro’s brother – bought it in 1832 and turned it from just a Summer residence and hunting lodge into a huge farm. In Winter, Camerini used to live in Rovigo, in a great palace in Celio street that still exists (but private owned). The next heir of Ca’ Conti was Count Francesco (Cristoforo’s son, 1829-1892), then his nephew Francesco Ettore (1866-1902) who was awarded the ducal title, but died of tuberculosis at only 36 years old. After his loss, the whole property passed to a related who was just a child by that time: Giovanni Rusconi Camerini. Once grown up, he married Beatrice della Gherardesca and they had nine children! The current owner of the Villa is one of his nephews: Francesco Rusconi Camerini.

The structure is a place of great charm, surrounded by a wonderful and romantic Italian-style-garden full of statues and age-old plants. Have you ever thought about getting married in a reading village? These wide spaces make the Villa an ideal place for weddings. The so called Lemon House –  recently renewed – is the perfect place to host over 300 people, when equipped with all the necessary services for guests and catering. ChiarArt will take care of your themed wedding according to the inspiration of the book you pick, through its imaginative artistic creations.

In the nearby

Once in Villa Ca’ Conti, pay a visit to Ca’ Vascon bio-farm. The whole structure stands on 10 hectares of land recently devoted to a organic farming project, environment friendly.In the garden, both adults and children can learn the organic cultivation’s fundamentals, tasting natural products, chemicals free. Here you find also a certified fly zone for Paramotors. On weekends you can come to watch many flight enthusiasts launching, or book a tandem test fly with highly experienced professional pilots.

Near Granze, there is the important town of Este. Entering the city, the first visual impact is the impressive walls, about 1 km long and marked by 12 towers. The enchanting public garden and the Atestino National Museum stand safely into this “fortified embrace”. The Museum lays into the palace raised on the ancient castle by the Mocenigo Family in 16th century. St Martino Church (11th Century) and St Tecla Cathedral are also precious. The Cathedral was built on the ruins of a earlier Christian Basilica and includes in the apse a masterpiece by Giambattista Tiepolo, “The intercession of St Tecla”. Venetian domination survives especially in Piazza Maggiore’s luxurious palaces.

 

Roberto Colella

“Borghi della lettura” (i.e. reading villages) is a network counting more than 50 Italian historical villages engaged in the promotion of literature and reading, enhancing the places through cultural events to book and stories lovers.