The word
Villa refers to an architectural typology whose meaning has evolved over the centuries.
In the Roman Age, the villa was a
house built for the upper classes.
In the Post Roman Age, villa referred to a sort of village, similar to a fortified and self-sufficient farm whose inhabitants were called "villani" or "villici".
It is with the architect and philosopher Leon Battista Alberti and his masterpieces Villa and De re edificatoria that
the Villa starts to be considered as a place of pleasure and leisure.
In the Renaissance villas, the first example of which is considered
Villa Medici in Fiesole, the typically military and defensive features of rustic medieval castles are, for the first time, abandoned. This new conception of villa starts, therefore in
Tuscany and, then, spreads to other courts of Italy and Europe.
The Palladian villas, built in the sixteenth century in the area of Vicenza and along the Riviera del Brenta, represent examples that remained very influential for over four centuries.
It is very interesting to note how the term "villa" is commonly used in the English language. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, in fact, even in England this new architectural style became fashion and the word "villa" was so officially adopted also by the into English language.
In the nineteenth century people began to talk about Villas simply referring to isolated buildings in the countryside, to emphasize the contrast with the houses joined together.
This is a brief history of the architectural style protagonist of this portal, the Villa, whether we are talking about a farmhouse converted into a prestigious dwelling, a modern villa, a castle, a Medicean villa or a villa abroad.
