Villa Litta is an impressive palace surrounded by an English-style garden embellished by the fountains of Neptune and Galathea and an amazing Nymphaeum considered one of the most important in northern Italy due to the richness of the decor and the variety of water games.
Atrium of Four Winds, Villa Litta
The complex has been commissioned by Pirro Visconti Borromeo who was inspired by the Medici villas of Tuscany. At the end of 16th century the fundaments of an old farmhouse were used for building the residence for Borromeo family. When in 1750 Marquis Pompeo Litta inherited the Villa, he started the work from scratch on Ninfeo facade and introduced important changes to the structure of the surrounding garden. Around the time of Italian Unification Litta family loose its importance and the villa moved into different hands to be finally purchased by Comunity of Lainate in 1971.
At present the palace with the garden is opened for visitors with two basic guided tours ‘Palaces of the 16th and 18th centuries’ and ‘Ninfeo and waterwarks show’.
The rooms are used for wedding ceremonies, and classical music concerts, especially during the winter time.
The main attraction is the architectural complex known as Nymph ( Ninfeo ,or Nymphaenum ) which consists of labirynth of spaces, rooms decorated with pebble mosaics and stalactite caves and niches with statues presented by staues of fauns and other fantasy creatures, and the spectacular grotto called the Atrium of the Four Winds.
The rooms display collections of art house Borromeo Visconti Litta paintings, collections of fossils, minerals, coins, holy relics, robots, machine tools, archaeological finds.
During the summer time the Nymph features the unique show with lights, sounds and waterworks.
Opening Hours :
Sunday (May -July, September) 15.00 -18.00 guided tours ‘Ninfeo and waterworks show’,
( ‘Palaces of the 16th and 18th centuries’ on demand )
Saturday (May -July, September ) 21.15 – 22.30 light and waterworks show at Ninfeo
Villa Latta
Comune di Lainate
Largo Vittorio Vento 8
20020 Lainate ( Milano)
phone : +39 02 93598266
[ photo courtesy of CCpixel]
