The 15th-century Villa Varda in Brugnera

Villa Varda, located in the San Cassiano di Livenza fraction of Brugnera (PN), is a manor house set within a large park along the banks of the Livenza river. The structure dates back to the 15th century, when the noble Bergamasque family of Mazzoleni became owners of extensive land in the Varda area and constructed their residence there.

The name of the villa likely finds its origins in the term Guarda or Guardia, perhaps due to the presence of a pre-existing defensive structure on the site. Throughout the centuries, the property passed through several hands. In 1670, Fabio Mazzoleni, the last erudite member of the family, added a chapel to the villa set within the greenery of the park, where he designed his own burial place. The villa was initially left to his uncle, Ottavio Negri, before passing to numerous owners, including the Morpurgo family.

In the mid-19th century, Carlo Morpurgo restored the buildings and shaped the park into its current appearance. Later, Mario Morpurgo left Villa Varda and the entire San Cassiano estate to the Seminario di Concordia-Pordenone. Today, the municipality of Brugnera is the owner, and the villa and its park are open to the public.

The park features several structures of architectural value, including an orange grove with a stone balustrade terrace, a Neo-Gothic chapel, a wash-house updated in 1932 with a crenelated tower, and a mausoleum. While the park originally consisted of native tree species, it now features a variety of trees, including centuries-old specimens and imported varieties such as the Lebanese cedar and Nepalese pine.

In 1990, the villa and park served as the primary location for the film L'amore necessario by Fabio Carpi. Between 2016 and 2017, the complex underwent restoration work by the Maccan family.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons