Ancient suburban Villa, on the St. Bartolo Hill, was built in two stages between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The first construction was initiated at the behest of Alessandro Sforza. Although it was a building for recreation outside the city, still it had formal features of defensive architecture (crowns and crenellated towers). In the sixteenth century, the Duke Francesco Maria I della Rovere instructs Girolamo Genga to renovate and expand the existing building. Genga coordinated an extensive program of decoration of the existing part, by configuring the extension as an architectural autonomous element, with the addition of a quadrangular body with lodges at the four corners and walls in exposed brick. It was also organized a system of terraced gardens with water features. The building was neglected for a long period; from 1763 to the end of the century it was then hosted Jesuits from Spain and Portugal. In the twentieth century began work to uncover the original structures of the complex.

Info:

June to September, only on Wednesday, after booking.