Step back in time and envision a grand estate, a villa of delights, built on the edge of a bustling town. Before you is Villa Alari, a Rococo-style rural palace that whispers tales of grandeur and transformation. Built in the early 18th century, Villa Alari was the brainchild of Giacinto Alari, a wealthy man eager to leave his mark on the world. He commissioned the renowned architect Giovanni Ruggeri to create a masterpiece, and the villa was completed in 1719. Imagine, the rooms were decorated with stucco, ornate frescoes depicting mythological scenes, and colorful paintings, creating a beautiful world within its walls.
The villa was the Alari family’s haven, a place where they celebrated life’s triumphs and retreated for quiet moments. In fact, in the main ballroom, a magnificent fresco by Francesco Fabbrica, showcasing the Triumph of Apollo, still graces the walls. It was a place where beauty and artistic expression flourished, reflecting the Alari family’s refined taste. However, in the 18th century, the villa was used by the Archduke Ferdinand, Governor of the Austrian Duchy of Milan. The Alari’s attempts to sell the villa to the Archduke were unsuccessful.
In 1831, the legacy of the villa passed to the Visconti di Saliceto family. The Visconti family remained its stewards for over a century, holding onto its history and grandeur. They were the last family to call Villa Alari home, until 1944, when the last heir, Countess Valentina Visconti di Saliceto, donated it to the Fatebenefratelli Hospital. For many years, it stood as a psychiatric hospital and later as a nursing home. It was a different kind of haven, a place of healing and care, though one that cherished the villa’s rich past. Then, in 2007, the villa transitioned from a place of healing to a place of shared heritage when it became municipal property, a testament to the enduring power of this magnificent structure to adapt and evolve with the times.