The Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte, also known as Villa Reale and formerly called Villa Comunale, is a palace in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, in
Lombardy
Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in the northern-central part of the country and has a population of about 10 ...
in northern Italy. It was built between 1790 and 1796 as the residence of Count
Ludovico Barbiano di Belgiojoso. The villa is in
Neoclassical style
Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The pr ...
, and was designed by
Leopoldo Pollack. The main entrance is on via Palestro, facing the
Giardini Pubblici of
Porta Venezia
Porta Venezia (formerly known as Porta Orientale, Porta Renza and by other names) is one of the historical gates of the city of Milan, Italy. In its present form, the gate dates back to the 19th century; nevertheless, its origins can be traced bac ...
, the eastern gate of the city.
During the Kingdom of Italy it became the residence of Viceroy Eugene de Beuharnais and his family
In 1920 the villa came under the ownership of the
Comune
The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...
of Milan; in 1921 it became the home of the
Galleria d'Arte Moderna.
Beside the villa is the
Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea
The Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea or PAC is a museum of contemporary art in Milan, Italy. It is on via Palestro, next to the Galleria d'Arte Moderna, and across from the Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli.
History
In 1947 the Municipality o ...
, an exhibition space for
contemporary art
Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic com ...
, which was built in 1955 on the site of the former stables of the palace, destroyed by
wartime bombing.
The gardens of the villa, in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
style with an
artificial lake
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
, were laid out by Leopoldo Pollack.
References
Neoclassical architecture in Milan
Palaces in Milan
Villas in Lombardy
Royal residences in Italy
Tourist attractions in Milan
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