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| Map of the villa and surroundings |
Mestre, altitude 5 m/16 feet above sea level, City of Venice, Piazzale Donatori di Sangue; train station at Venezia Mestre, 1 km/.6 mile to the south; the piazzale is traversed by the same bike path that takes one from the train station to the city center.
Constructed during the eighteenth century for the Venetian Erizzo family, it is an example of a villa that at one time was set in the countryside with a large garden, but today is incorporated into the urban agglomeration of Mestre; in fact, today the villa faces onto one of the central piazze of Mestre, Piazzale Donatori di Sangue, and is surrounded by modern structures: a supermarket, shops, offices and apartment buildings. Under construction is a commercial and cultural center to the right.
During 1782 the villa even hosted a pope, albeit for only one night, Pius VI, who was in transit from Rome to Vienna. The villa was expanded considerably during the 1930’s by Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata who had acquired it. After the second world war it was used as the headquarters of ENEL, Italy's largest power company. It was acquired and restored by the City of Venice in 2011, and since 16 March 2013 it has housed VEZ, the Venezia Mestre public library.
The facade is monumental, characterized by a triangular pediment and by low towers on the sides; inside there are frescoes attributed to Andrea Urbani.
Latest visit: 2013-03-23
