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Villa Pagana, formerly known as Villa Spinola, is a residential building in the frazione of
The construction of the villa was commissioned by the Orero family, who probably originated from the homonymous locality in the , in the early 17th century, after they purchased the land from the Giudice family from Rapallo. Historical documents show that the first owner was Francesco Orero.
After his death in 1609, ownership of the building passed to his sons Francesco and Bernardo, who managed and shared the entire patrimony until 1641 and extended the building to its present state. The boundaries of the property have remained almost unchanged since then. The villa was later managed by Francesco Orero, and it passed to his sons Gerolamo and Dionisio following his death in 1644. The latter's financial problems resulted in the property being sold to the Marquis Pier Francesco Cattaneo. After he died in 1708, it passed to his brother Paolo Maria Cattaneo.
Through family ties, the building eventually passed from the
San Michele di Pagana
San Michele di Pagana is a ''frazione'' (hamlet) of the ''comune'' of Rapallo, Metropolitan City of Genoa, Liguria, northern Italy. Facing the Gulf of Tigullio, it is located some 2 km from the center of the municipality and from the nearby '' ...
in Rapallo, within the Metropolitan City of Genoa in Italy.
It is located on Punta Pagana, close to the boundary with Santa Margherita Ligure
Santa Margherita Ligure ( lij, Santa Margaita) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about southeast of Genoa, in the area traditionally known as Tigullio. It has a port, used for b ...
, and it includes a private park containing the 17th-century Castello di Punta Pagana
The Castello di Punta Pagana is a 17th-century fort located on the homonymous Punta Pagana, within the grounds of Villa Pagana in Rapallo, within the Metropolitan City of Genoa in Italy. It is located west of San Michele di Pagana, close to the bo ...
. The house has been one of the magisterial residences of the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta since 1959, and it is therefore locally known as the Villa dei Cavalieri di Malta or simply Villa Malta. These names are incorrect since they should be exclusively associated with the Villa del Priorato di Malta
Villa del Priorato di Malta or Magistral Villa, located on the Aventine Hill in Rome, is one of the two institutional seats of the government of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Along with Magistral Palace, the estate is granted extraterrit ...
in Rome.
History
The construction of the villa was commissioned by the Orero family, who probably originated from the homonymous locality in the , in the early 17th century, after they purchased the land from the Giudice family from Rapallo. Historical documents show that the first owner was Francesco Orero.
After his death in 1609, ownership of the building passed to his sons Francesco and Bernardo, who managed and shared the entire patrimony until 1641 and extended the building to its present state. The boundaries of the property have remained almost unchanged since then. The villa was later managed by Francesco Orero, and it passed to his sons Gerolamo and Dionisio following his death in 1644. The latter's financial problems resulted in the property being sold to the Marquis Pier Francesco Cattaneo. After he died in 1708, it passed to his brother Paolo Maria Cattaneo.
Through family ties, the building eventually passed from the Cattaneo Cattaneo ( is an Italian surname.
Geographical distribution
As of 2014, 81.2% of all known bearers of the surname ''Cattaneo'' were residents of Italy (frequency 1:1,232), 9.0% of Argentina (1:7,742), 2.8% of Switzerland (1:4,802), 1.9% of the Uni ...
to the Spinola family
The House of Spinola, or Spinola family, was a leading Italian political family centered in the Republic of Genoa. Their influence was at its greatest extent in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Important members
Guido Spinola was one o ...
. The latter embellished both the villa and the surrounding park, including decorating the interior with fine furnishings and works of art, and planting trees including Cedar of Lebanon on the grounds. During this period, the building hosted a number of prominent personalities, including Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and his brother Giovanni in 1816, and Queen Margherita of Savoy and her brother Thomas of Savoy in the early 20th century.
In a will of 1955, Admiral Franco Spinola made a will leaving the entire property of the villa, including the castle in its grounds, to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta by 1959.
Sources
* * *External links
*{{commons category inline, Villa Pagana (Rapallo) Pagana Buildings and structures in the Metropolitan City of Genoa Houses completed in the 17th century Spinola family Buildings and structures of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Rapallo