Villa Scotti

Nestled amidst the Lombardy landscape, Villa Scotti stands as a testament to Italian elegance and history. Once known as Villa di Oreno, Villa Scotti’s story begins in 1685. Count Giovanni Battista Scotti of Colturano laid the first stones, creating a retreat that would later be immortalized in Marcantonio Dal Re’s book “Ville di Lombardia.” The villa we see today at Villa Scotti bears the mark of Neoclassical renovations from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Architect Simone Cantoni orchestrated these changes, adding the prominent clock face to the facade. Imagine strolling through the gardens at Villa Scotti as they evolved. Originally designed in the French style with statues, fountains, and a grand avenue, the gardens later embraced the English style, its bushes replaced by a sprawling lawn encircled by towering trees. A striking feature from the earlier period, the Nymphaeum of Neptune with its cascading waterfall fountain, captivated even the French scholar Montesquieu in 1728. Inside Villa Scotti, 17th-century frescoes adorn the walls. The Hall of Alexander the Great stands out, depicting scenes of Alexander’s life: taming Bucephalus, confronting the Gordian Knot, wounded at Tarsus, and triumphant at Issus. Allegorical figures grace the ceiling, representing The Pardon, Love of Country, Abundance, Victory, and Strength. While the artists remain a mystery, their work evokes the styles of Pietro Maggi, Giovanni Battista Sassi, Francesco Bianchi, or Giovanni Battista Castellino. Villa Scotti continued to evolve under the stewardship of Duke Tomaso Gallarati Scotti, who commissioned works from Gioacchino Crivelli in 1845 and later Franco Ruggeri. His son, G. Carlo, a prince of Molfetta and a keen naturalist, further enriched the villa. He even once performed a charitable act with a bear from his menagerie. The two World Wars left their mark on Villa Scotti. During World War I, G. Carlo transformed the villa into a rehabilitation center for wounded soldiers. In World War II, it was confiscated for military use. The restoration we admire today is largely thanks to G. Giacomo Gallarate Scotti, G. Carlo’s heir, who meticulously revived the villa after the war. Villa Scotti has been a place of elegance, a haven for the wounded, and a symbol of resilience throughout its history.