Villa Sommi Picenardi is an architectural complex located in Oligiate Molgora, in the province of Lecco (Italy). In 1948, the villa was used as a location for the film ‘Senza pietà’ (Without Pity) by Alberto Lattuada. The villa is surrounded by a large park boasting both an ‘Italian-style’ and an ‘English-style’ garden.
The villa originally belonged to the Sala Trotti Bentivoglio family and was later inherited by the Sommi Picenardi family. Over the years, the villa has been used as a summer residence by many Italian noble families.
Today, Villa Sommi Picenardi is open to the public for guided tours and special events such as weddings and art exhibitions. The park in the villa hosts numerous species of exotic and rare plants, including palm trees, Cedars of Lebanon, and magnolias.
The manor house features Baroque architecture with decorative elements in the Rococo style. The chapel dedicated to San Galdino was built in 1703 and is decorated with frescoes by Pietro Antonio Magatti.
The Italian-style garden of the villa was designed by the famous landscape architect Luigi Villoresi and features a series of terraces with fountains, statues and geometric flowerbeds.
The English garden, on the other hand, was designed by English landscape architect John Loudon and provides a romantic atmosphere with winding paths, streams and ponds.
Over the years, the villa has hosted many famous people including the poet Gabriele D’Annunzio and the composer Giuseppe Verdi.
