Vezio is a village located on a promontory in the center Lake Como.
During its foundation, around the 6th century BC, it was a Ligurian, if not even Etruscan, Celtic settlement.
The name probably comes from “Vescia”, a small settlement in Lazio, hometown of Vescinus, a Roman legionary who was entrusted with the command and direction for the construction of Vezio’s “castrum” (Latin for fortified military camp).
At that time the Romans had broadened their control over northern Italy to resist invasions from Northern Europe.
For these reasons a fort was built in Vezio that facilitated the control of the shores of the lake below, on whose promontory Varenna had risen in the meantime.
Later, with the arrival of the Lombards, a twenty meter high tower was built and legend says that it also hosted Queen Teodolinda. The fortress joined by walls which, like two long arms, descended to defend the lake village, followed the fate of Varenna.
In 1244 when Varenna was destroyed for the first time by the Como feud to whom it had opposed, the population took shelter in the manor that, thanks to its position, was unconquerable: Varenna was destroyed but the castle resisted.
Vezio and Varenna saw several lordships and dominations from both French and Spanish.
In 1778 Varenna’s feud, which also includes Vezio, passed the to milanese family Crivelli Serbelloni, which held it until the 1800s. In the early 1900s Donato Greppi bought the Castle and the annexed property from the Counts Serbelloni. After the construction of the villa and the assignment to Porcinai for the construction of the garden, it was in 1952 that the son of the same name, Donato Greppi, an industrialist with strong entrepreneurial skills, restored the Castle bringing back its ancient and elegant features.
After a period of decline and abandonment, following the death of Grandfather, the granddaughter Manuela Greppi and her husband Maurizio di Robilant, took over the property from the other heirs and returned it to its original splendor.
1) Queen Teodolinda
2) The Castle before restoration
3) Donato Greppi
4) Manuela Greppi and her husband
Maurizio di Robilant
5) The Architect Roberto Porcinai
PIETRO PORCINAI
AND THE GARDEN OF
VILLA GREPPI IN VEZIO
AND THE GARDEN OF
VILLA GREPPI IN VEZIO
ADDRESS: via del Castellano n.16, Perledo, Lecco
LOCATION: mountainous area overlooking the lake
PROJECT: garden with pool and tennis court
INTERVENTION; concluded
DESIGN YEAR: 1945
DIMENSIONS: 16.120 Sqm
The villa is located in a mountainous area, overlooking the east shore of Lake Como, at the foot of the historic centre of Vezio which develops around the castle located on a hill. The property has a large extension and is characterized by the total absence of borders and fences and, thanks to this particularity, it perfectly integrates with the surroundings made of olive tree grove areas, woods and little mountain villages.
In addition to the arrangement of the garden, it includes the construction of a tennis court, a swimming pool, a small panoramic viewpoint on the lake and an olive tree grove, requested by Mr. Donato Greppi. The garden also counts an area located on a mountain slope that plunges directly into the lake. An avenue leads to the entrance of the villa before branching off in front of the house creating an oval parterre, while to its left there are garages.
On the left a rounded staircase leads to the terrace on the mezzanine floor while on the right the avenue leads to an entrance on the ground floor. On the back of the house, parallel to the entrance avenue and at a higher level, Porcinai designed a rectangular checkerboard garden reached by two stairs surrounded by vegetation.
On the main front of the villa there is a large terrace which Porcinai integrated into its project.
Two paths depart from the south side of the villa: on the left you reach the green “rooms” connected to one another; on the right you descend along a path enriched with flowered parterre gardens that lead to a small clearing.
From here two other paths cut across the mountain: one to the left that leads towards the olive tree grove and one to the right to the swimming pool area characterized by the theme of the circle. Further up along the path you reach a panoramic viewpoint on the lake, that goes on a little more before reconnecting to the level of the large flower meadow in front of the house. It covers a large area and trees grow only on the sides to leave the surface large and open. At the bottom, near the path that comes from the swimming pool, Porcinai designed a large circular parterre outlined by a hedge which includes a planting of trees.
Vezio is a village located on a promontory in the center Lake Como. During its foundation, around the 6th century BC, it was a Ligurian, if not even Etruscan, Celtic settlement. The name probably comes from “Vescia”, a small settlement in Lazio, hometown of Vescinus, a Roman legionary who was entrusted with the command and direction for the construction of Vezio’s “castrum” (Latin for fortified military camp).
At that time the Romans had broadened their control over northern Italy to resist invasions from Northern Europe. For these reasons a fort was built in Vezio that facilitated the control of the shores of the lake below, on whose promontory Varenna had risen in the meantime.
Later, with the arrival of the Lombards, a twenty meter high tower was built and legend says that it also hosted Queen Teodolinda. The fortress joined by walls which, like two long arms, descended to defend the lake village, followed the fate of Varenna. In 1244 when Varenna was destroyed for the first time by the Como feud to whom it had opposed, the population took shelter in the manor that, thanks to its position, was unconquerable: Varenna was destroyed but the castle resisted.
Vezio and Varenna saw several lordships and dominations from both French and Spanish. In 1778 Varenna’s feud, which also includes Vezio, passed the to milanese family Crivelli Serbelloni, which held it until the 1800s. In the early 1900s Donato Greppi bought the Castle and the annexed property from the Counts Serbelloni.
After the construction of the villa and the assignment to Porcinai for the construction of the garden, it was in 1952 that the son of the same name, Donato Greppi, an industrialist with strong entrepreneurial skills, restored the Castle bringing back its ancient and elegant features. After a period of decline and abandonment, following the death of Grandfather, the granddaughter Manuela Greppi and her husband Maurizio di Robilant, took over the property from the other heirs and returned it to its original splendor.
1) Queen Teodolinda
2) The Castle before restoration
3) Donato Greppi
4) Manuela Greppi and her husband Maurizio di Robilant
5) The architect Roberto Porcinai
1) Queen Teodolinda
2) the Castle before restoration
3) Donato Greppi
4) Manuela Greppi and her husband Maurizio di Robilant
5) The Architect Roberto Porcinai
PIETRO PORCINAI
AND THE GARDEN
OF VILLA GREPPI IN VEZIO
AND THE GARDEN
OF VILLA GREPPI IN VEZIO
ADDRESS: via del Castellano n.16, Perledo, Lecco
LOCATION: zona montuosa a picco sul lago
PROJECT: giardino con piscina e campo da tennis
INTERVENTION; Concluded
DESGN YEAR: 1945
DIMENSIONS: 16.120 Sqm
The villa is located in a mountainous area, overlooking the east shore of Lake Como, at the foot of the historic centre of Vezio which develops around the castle located on a hill. The property has a large extension and is characterized by the total absence of borders and fences and, thanks to this particularity, it perfectly integrates with the surroundings made of olive tree grove areas, woods and little mountain villages.
In addition to the arrangement of the garden, it includes the construction of a tennis court, a swimming pool, a small panoramic viewpoint on the lake and an olive tree grove, requested by Mr. Donato Greppi. The garden also counts an area located on a mountain slope that plunges directly into the lake. An avenue leads to the entrance of the villa before branching off in front of the house creating an oval parterre, while to its left there are garages.
On the left a rounded staircase leads to the terrace on the mezzanine floor while on the right the avenue leads to an entrance on the ground floor. On the back of the house, parallel to the entrance avenue and at a higher level, Porcinai designed a rectangular checkerboard garden reached by two stairs surrounded by vegetation.
On the main front of the villa there is a large terrace which Porcinai integrated into its project.
Two paths depart from the south side of the villa: on the left you reach the green “rooms” connected to one another; on the right you descend along a path enriched with flowered parterre gardens that lead to a small clearing.
From here two other paths cut across the mountain: one to the left that leads towards the olive tree grove and one to the right to the swimming pool area characterized by the theme of the circle. Further up along the path you reach a panoramic viewpoint on the lake, that goes on a little more before reconnecting to the level of the large flower meadow in front of the house. It covers a large area and trees grow only on the sides to leave the surface large and open. At the bottom, near the path that comes from the swimming pool, Porcinai designed a large circular parterre outlined by a hedge which includes a planting of trees.
PIETRO PORCINAI
AND THE GARDEN OF
VILLA GREPPI IN VEZIO
AND THE GARDEN OF
VILLA GREPPI IN VEZIO
ADDRESS: via del Castellano n.16, Perledo, Lecco
LOCATION: zona montuosa a picco sul lago
PROJECT: giardino con piscina e campo da tennis
INTERVENTION; Concluded
DESGN YEAR: 1945
DIMENSIONS: 16.120 Sqm
LOCATION: zona montuosa a picco sul lago
PROJECT: giardino con piscina e campo da tennis
INTERVENTION; Concluded
DESGN YEAR: 1945
DIMENSIONS: 16.120 Sqm
The villa is located in a mountainous area, overlooking the east shore of Lake Como, at the foot of the historic centre of Vezio which develops around the castle located on a hill. The property has a large extension and is characterized by the total absence of borders and fences and, thanks to this particularity, it perfectly integrates with the surroundings made of olive tree grove areas, woods and little mountain villages.
In addition to the arrangement of the garden, it includes the construction of a tennis court, a swimming pool, a small panoramic viewpoint on the lake and an olive tree grove, requested by Mr. Donato Greppi. The garden also counts an area located on a mountain slope that plunges directly into the lake. An avenue leads to the entrance of the villa before branching off in front of the house creating an oval parterre, while to its left there are garages.
On the left a rounded staircase leads to the terrace on the mezzanine floor while on the right the avenue leads to an entrance on the ground floor. On the back of the house, parallel to the entrance avenue and at a higher level, Porcinai designed a rectangular checkerboard garden reached by two stairs surrounded by vegetation.
On the main front of the villa there is a large terrace which Porcinai integrated into its project.
Two paths depart from the south side of the villa: on the left you reach the green “rooms” connected to one another; on the right you descend along a path enriched with flowered parterre gardens that lead to a small clearing.
From here two other paths cut across the mountain: one to the left that leads towards the olive tree grove and one to the right to the swimming pool area characterized by the theme of the circle. Further up along the path you reach a panoramic viewpoint on the lake, that goes on a little more before reconnecting to the level of the large flower meadow in front of the house. It covers a large area and trees grow only on the sides to leave the surface large and open. At the bottom, near the path that comes from the swimming pool, Porcinai designed a large circular parterre outlined by a hedge which includes a planting of trees.
