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 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 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 prevailing sty ...

, 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 ...

, 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 co ...

, 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. Galleria d'arte moderna (Milano)

References

Neoclassical architecture in Milan Palaces in Milan Villas in Lombardy Royal residences in Italy Tourist attractions in Milan {{italy-struct-stub