Villa Arrigona

Villa Arrigona
Facciata della Villa Arrigona
Interactive map of the Villa Arrigona area
General information
LocationSan Giacomo delle Segnate, Italy
Coordinates44°58′17″N 11°02′56″E / 44.97139°N 11.04897°E / 44.97139; 11.04897
Construction started1619
Construction stopped1622

Villa Arrigona, in San Giacomo delle Segnate, Province of Mantua, Italy, was built between 1619 and 1622 on the commission of Count Pompeo Arrigoni, of the noble Arrigoni family, to the architect Antonio Maria Viani, already in the service of the Gonzagas of Mantua. It is one of the most important villas of the province.[1]

The villa, made up of several interconnected buildings, served as a stately country residence that was traditionally inhabited seasonally. It is known by local residents as "L'Arrigona" or "“piccola Versailles della Bassa” (Little Versailles of the lowlands).[2]

Description

The villa is made up of several buildings that compose the main villa including east and west wings. It sits upon a vast estate of twenty-four Mantuan biolche, or about 75,000 square meters. Several farm buildings and cottages were later added in the late 18th century to expand the agricultural estate.[2]

It's a two-story structure with an adjoining late Baroque oratory, park and cultivated land. The façade is characterized by a tympanum reminiscent of Palazzo Te, under which the large stone family coat of arms stands out.[1]

The main building's interior consists of two large halls connecting fourteen rooms and numerous service areas. Many rooms are adorned with frescos.[2]

History

Originally from Milan, the noble Arrigoni family settled in Mantua in the late 15th century. Construction began in 1619 when Count Pompeo Arrigoni commissioned the court artist and architect Antonio Maria Viani. The villa is considered to be one of his most impressive works. [2]

In 1649, Count Scipione Arrigoni was bestowed the title of Marquis from Duchess Maria Gonzaga. He installed the marble coat of arms at the center of the façade to celebrate his new rank. [2]

Marquis Tommaso Arrigoni carried out a significant expansion of the Villa in the second half of the 18th century. Noting a lack of a public oratory in the locality, he requested and obtained authorization to build one in the Villa Arrigona in 1763. The oratory was completed by 1765, dedicated to Saint Thomas.[2]

2012 earthquake and reconstruction

The villa suffered extensive damage as a result of an earthquake in May 2012. [3] The timing of the quake was only days before it was planned to be opened to the public, with the damage causing it to be declared unfit for habitation by a municipal ordinance. The reconstruction project cost 5.1 million euros, funded almost entirely by its local region of Lombardy.[3] The main buildings were reconstructed to withstand future earthquakes by the architecture firm Lorenzo, and declared fit for habitation in April 2019.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Sordi, M. Guiseppina (2002). Villa Arrigona (in Italian). Editoriale Sometti Mantova. ISBN 978-88-88091-77-8.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Sodano, Lorenzo. "Villa Arrigona" (PDF). Invest in Italy. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  3. ^ a b c "Villa Arrigona a San Giacomo delle Segnate è rinata: finalmente potrà riaprire". Gazzetta di Mantova (in Italian). February 5, 2019. Retrieved 2026-02-10.

Sources

  • Sordi M. Giuseppina, Villa Arrigona in San Giacomo delle Segnate, Editoriale Sometti Mantova, 2002; br., pp. 48, ill. ISBN 978-88-88091-77-8
  • Sordi M. Giuseppina, Villa Arrigona. Quattro secoli di storia alle Segnate, Mantova 2013, ISBN 978-88-95490-19-9
  • Giovan Battista di Crollalanza, Dizionario storico blasonico delle famiglie nobili o notabili italiane estinte e fiorenti, Bologna, 1886, Vol.1.


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