The 1500s evolution of Villa Sioli Legnani

Located just outside the town of Bussero, the Villa Sioli Legnani was first built by the Corio family in the second half of the 1500s. Work on the villa progressed in 1588 after coming into the hands of the doctor Giulio Cesare Corio. The villa consisted of a rectangular block of two stories, with one side having an attic. The U-shaped layout was built by the early 1700s. Inside the villa, a chapel dedicated to Saint Catherine was present, and the east wing had a monumental staircase leading to the piano nobile.

After Giulio Cesare Corio, the property was inherited by Giuseppe Gorini Corio who married Catterina, a widow elder than he was. Once widowed, he married a younger Bradamante Rasini. However, once Giuseppe died, his family sued for the property, further dividing up the inheritance. The property passed hands a few times, and in 1822 it was purchased by Giovanni Legnani. The Legnani family hired the architect and landscaper Giuseppe Balzaretto to refurbish the building and grounds.

The chapel was removed to add a second staircase, and the dining room was enlarged with rococo decoration. The earliest garden and orchard in 1700 had a symmetric and highly manicured layout. After 1830, the modifications of Balzaretto created a more rambling garden with more attention to vistas. The garden facade, previously simple and undecorated, was reformulated and added a semi-private patio adjacent to the facade.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons