Villa Spada
Villa Spada and the park of the same name are located in Bologna's Saragozza district, not far from the historical centre and the Meloncello arch, the starting point for the 'climb' to the Basilica of San Luca.
Dating back to the 18th century, the villa was designed by Giovan Battista Martinetti, an architect very much in vogue in Bologna at the time who had also been responsible for the design of Villa Aldini. A philonapoleonic and lover of the neoclassical style, Martinetti was also famous in the city because of his wife Cornelia, who was the creator of a popular salon that she organised in their Bologna residence.
Today, Villa Spada houses the Museo della Tappezzeria and its collection of antique textiles, garments and textile machinery from various periods. The frescoes decorating the museum are also noteworthy, particularly those in the splendid wood-panelled hall.
The owners of the villa
Over the centuries, Villa Spada was acquired by various noble Bolognese families. Initially it was inhabited by the
Zambeccari family who lived there until 1811, and then passed into the hands of the Marquise Beaufort, wife of Prince Clemente Spada Veralli, from whom the villa took its name. Thanks to the couple's intervention, the park was enlarged to its current size. In 1849 it was occupied by the Austrian troops, who admired its architectural beauty and proximity to the city, and made it their headquarters.
Before being ceded to the City of Bologna in the 1960s, Villa Spada was finally sold to the Pisa family, a prosperous family of industrialists who bought it in 1920.
The park of Villa Spada
The park of Villa Spada is one of the most popular in the area. Within the
6 hectares of green area are various environments that extend over the hill behind the villa, starting with the garden designed by Martinetti himself and built at the back of the structure. The garden is decorated with manicured hedges and statues, and follows the Italian garden style.
On the other side of the villa a long flight of steps leads to
a 1970s memorial dedicated to the 128 partisan women from Bologna who died during the fighting at the end of World War II.
Entering the greenery in the direction of the adjacent San Pellegrino Park, one can finally enjoy a fantastic
view of Bologna and the Basilica of San Luca.
