Villa Forni Cerato: The 16th Century Hidden Beauty in Vicenza's Hillside

Villa Forni Cerato, hidden in the heart of Italy's Montecchio Precalcino, Province of Vicenza, is a puzzle wrapped in a mystery. Only guesses can be made as to its exact birth, likely in the second half of the 16th century, on land that some murmur was once home to a Roman villa. Wealthy wood merchant, Forni, claimed the villa, gifting it via will to Giuseppe, Girolamo, and Baldissera Cerato in 1610. What sets Villa Forni Cerato apart is its architecture. This villa is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto.' Despite required restoration, it is not in a state of disrepair. The villa's front showcases an imposing loggia, spanning its full width through a serliana. The only apparent decoration seems to be the mask adorning the round arch of the entrance serliana, sculpted by Alessandro Vittoria.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons