Villa Lattes

The history of Villa Tamagnino Lattes is connected with the lives and passions of the two men that made it famous: Giorgio Massari and Bruno Abramo Lattes.

The barchessa of Istrana is the first major public work attributed to Giorgio Massari (1687-1766), the architect synonymous with 18th century Venice, who was just 25 years old at the time. Commissioned by Paolo Tamagnino, the building was completed in around 1715 and, upon the death of the owner, passed to Massari himself.

VISITING THE VILLA

As you walk through the two floors and ten rooms that make up the villa you will start to feel quite at home.
Thanks to the coherent exhibition and the careful selection of works, objects - the typical kitchen with its copper utensils - and furniture, the functions originally attributed to the spaces by the Lattes family are maintained.
The recent restoration project has shone a light on the original architectural structure enabling you to visit not only the central body belonging to the owners, facing the vegetable garden, and the rooms used on daily basis by the Lattes family, but also the typical colonnades, slightly concave, and the little external church.
Once outside you can take a walk in the historical park: a classic Italian garden embellished with statues, baths and busts.
But in addition to being a perfect example of a Venetian villa, Villa Lattes is also first and foremost the story of a man and his family. Lawyer Bruno Abramo Lattes (1876-1952), the last private owner of the barchessa and eclectic collector, turned it into a showcase for his highly original collection of robots and music boxes, thought to be the second biggest of its kind in Europe. The many valuable and restored pieces in the collection, almost all of which are fully functioning, include the robot Tamburino, the true symbol of the entire collection.

Italy is full of fascinating places off the beaten tourist track and Villa Lattes is a prime example. Contact us if you want to learn more about the history of the villa or book a guided tour.