Medieval Treviso Bishop's Villa in Montebelluna: A Summer Residence of

Villa Vescovile, an ancient summer residence of the bishops of Treviso, located in Montebelluna, Italy, beckoned spiritual leaders since at least 1116. The villa succumbed to the flames of war in 1337 during the clash between the Venetians and the Scaligeri. At the bidding of Bishop Pietro Paolo Dalla Costa in 1342, the Venetians painstakingly rebuilt the palace, a task completed by the masons of Giavera by the 6th of August, 1342. Ermolao Barbaro, who held the position of bishop from 1443 to 1454, executed several adjustments to the villa.

The restoration ventures of Nicolò Franco and Bernardo de' Rossi followed. By 1884, the villa was no longer a residence for bishops, but rather a lazaretto, occupied by soldiers during World War I. The diocese sold the villa in 1937, and, in the last few years, the property was refashioned into a residential complex. The villa is composed of three volumes: the main edifice of the 14th century, with subsequent additions. The asymmetrical, tripartite facade of the main building boasts a central entryway, adorned with a profiled architrave.

Above the portal, on the first floor, another window, also architraved, peeks out. Two other windows, framed by stone elements, are located on the axes of symmetry on either side. Stone elements are used for the sill of the windows, the plinth, and the cornice. The villa boasts a 'T'-shaped design. The villa is enlisted in the Veneto Region Inventory of Regional Architectural, Historical and Environmental Heritage (IRVV).

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata