Villa Rocca Pisana
Today, a long-held dream of mine came true, and I visited Villa Rocca Pisana - a structure that is fascinating from a conceptual standpoint and still holds its secrets to this day.
Rocca Pisana stands near Lonigo, atop a hill overlooking the Vicenza plain. This separation from “life below,” combined with the symbiosis between the building - which opens up toward the sky and the woods and the surrounding nature, gives visitors the sensation of being both inside the building and outside it at the same time, immersed in nature, and experiencing its beneficial and relaxing effects. In this sense, a day spent in this ancient place is “a therapeutic experience.”
The villa was built in 1576 by the renowned architect Vincenzo Scamozzi for the nobleman Vettore Pisani and stands on the site of an old ruined fortress (hence the name Rocca, meaning “fortress”). The loggia offers a stunning panoramic view.
Unlike in most villas, the dome here is not merely a decorative element. At its apex is an oculus (an open circular opening), similar to that in the Roman Pantheon. Rain and sunlight enter through it, falling onto a specially designed drain in the floor.
You can view the full photo gallery of the tour here.
