Draft:Fraccaroli Castle
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Last edited by Liucmicol01 (talk | contribs) 0 seconds ago. (Update) |
| Castello di Fraccaroli | |
|---|---|
 Main facade of the Fraccaroli mansion | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Never completed |
| Type | Castle |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| Location | Vicenza |
| Address | Via Libertà, 219, 36013 |
| Town or city | Piovene Rocchette, VI |
| Country | Italy |
| Coordinates | 45°45′23″N 11°25′47″E / 45.756321295269984°N 11.429694162566108°E |
| Current tenants | Currently abandoned |
| Year(s) built | 1853 |
| Completed | Never been completed |
| Demolished | During the First World War |
| Owner | Noble Innocenzo Fraccaroli and his wife Lucia Verlato |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Antonio Caregaro Negrin |
| Known for | The legend of a ghostly child |
Fraccaroli Castle, often referred to as "The Castle of Spirits," is a 19th-century villa, located in the central area of Piovene Rocchette[1],in the province of Vicenza, northern Italy. This imposing structure, currently abandoned and privately owned, was originally conceived as a grand residence by the Fraccaroli family, composed by Paolina Carlotta Fraccaroli and Francesco Dalla Negra, who were prominent landowners in the region. During the First World War, the castle was repurposed for military use, the city was bombed, the Rossi[2] factories were destroyed, and the population was evacuated. By the end of the war, the left wing of the castle had been demolished. Following the First World War, there are no records to suggest that the building was repaired or occupied. Due to its connection with the adjacent Villa Verlato, ownership passed through various hands; however, no attempts were made to reconstruct or reinhabit the property. Nowdays the castle is often associated with mysterious events, including the tale of a ghostly child.
Location and Surroundings
[edit]The Palazzina Fraccaroli is located in Piovene Rocchette, a small town in the Italian region of Veneto near Vicenza. Located along Via della Libertà, it sits on a slope overlooking the rural landscapes and surrounding mountains, including Monte Summano.[3] The castle lies along a route connecting several significant regional trails, popular for both scenic biking and hiking, especially those traversing Monte Summano and nearby valleys. The original configuration of the structure can be traced to its initial form, comprising a central block with two symmetrical levels, featuring a portico on the ground floor, a loggia on the noble floor, and an attic at the top. Flanking the central section are two polygonal towers, which impart to the entire composition the character of a villa-castle. Partially secluded among dense vegetation and overgrown flora, Fraccaroli Castle exudes a mysterious charm.[4]
History
[edit]It was used for military purposes during the First World War, but since the village of Piovene Rocchette was very close to the war, the villa was bombed, and the left wing of the castle was completely destroyed.
The Legend and Mysteries
[edit]The legend of the Fraccaroli Castle originates from the nearby 16th-century Villa Verlato, a property of the influential Verlato Family. The story begins when the heiress Lucia Verlato married a nobleman from the Fraccaroli Family, their union brought forth Paolina Carlotta. In 1853, Paolina's parents commissioned the construction of a new Villa in her honor. Paolina Carlotta Fraccaroli, wife of Francesco dalla Negra, landowner of Arzignano, commissioned the villa to one of the preeminent Venetian architects of the time, Antonio Caregaro Negrin. According to the legend, Francesco, deeply interested in esoteric practices, intended the villa as a place to pursue studies in the black magic. [5]
Inside, stone shelves are supported by statues with grotesque features, designed both as structural buttresses and as a symbolic guardians intended to ward off evil spirits.[6] According to the legend, during the villa's construction, a little girl was tragically struck by a beam and then died, and her restless spirit is said to wonder the villa's room in search of peace. Despite having been commissioned from one of the most esteemed Venetian architects of the times, the villa remains an imposing but unfinished ruin.[3]
According to other sources, however, the plan to dedicate the villa to the dark arts was halted by Francesco's wife. Several theories attempt to explain why the villa was never completed, including the family's relocation due to the plague epidemic, potential work commitments elsewhere or due to the imminent arrival of a child. Fraccaroli ultimately requested that the architect incorporate talismans throughout the villa to guard against the malevolent spirits believed to pursue him. Among these protective symbols are stone shelved upheld by grotesque statues, which, through primarily structural buttresses inserted with the aim of supporting and reinforcing the walls. [7]
Biography of the Architect
[edit]
Antonio Caregaro Negrin is the architect of Fraccaroli Castle. He was born in Vicenza on June 13, 1821, and died in the same place on December 26, 1898. Despite his classical education, he became very interested in modern trends, becoming a precursor of the Liberty Style (Art Nouveau). He began his career with a technical drawing course and later continued to study architecture more deeply. He carried out several restoration projects for important Vicentine families, such as Villa Trevisanato, Villa Stucky, Villa Gazzotti and Villa Tavazzano. In 1847, he also restored the scenery of the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, becoming an Olympic Academician. An honorary title given to individuals who become members of the Olympic Academy of Vicenza, one of the oldest and most prestigious cultural academies in Italy. His legacy can be found at the Bibleoteca Civica Bertoliana in Vicenza, where drawings, projects and publications are kept. In 1853, Fraccaroli and his wife asked architect Negrin to design and build this Villa for them. [8]
The architect's influence extends beyond his built works, with writings such as Scritti sui giardini (Writings on Gardens), which examines the relationship between architecture and nature and has contributed to discourse on landscape and design philosophy. [9] His speech Nella commemorazione del 10 giugno 1848 sul Monte Berico: parole pronunciate (In Commemoration of June 10, 1848, at Monte Berico: Words Spoken) reflects on the 1848 uprising and illustrates his engagement with the social and political context of his time.[10]
Architecture
[edit]The architectural style of Villa Fraccaroli is neoclassical, characterized by structural references related to the great buildings of the ancient Greeks and Romans, but it was never completed. When completed, the villa was to represent an unmatched level of elegance and magnificence. It was to consist of three floors and two turrets. The special feature of this villa was the numerous windows on each floor. The front facade of the Fraccaroli mansion, above the arches of the three gates, features stone corbels supporting statuettes with demonic likenesses. They are buttresses for the walls, which then over the years have taken on different meanings. In World War I it was used for military purposes, although it was not built for that reason, given its strategic location. But since the village of Piovene Rocchette was very close to the conflict, the villa was bombed, and the left wing of the castle was completely destroyed.[11]
The interior plan of the ground floor, the only completed one of the villa Fraccaroli, consisted of a central hall connecting the entrance door to the other rooms and to a door facing the back garden, two polygonal rooms, symmetrical to each other, that were part of the two turrets positioned respectively to the right and left of the main entrance, two other rectangular rooms and prominent bodies with curved facades that extended to the right and left. The staircase started from the center of the atrium and then divided into two parts which would rest on the wall. The stairs had a circular design. The villa is extended more in width than in depth and should have had a large outdoor garden developed on its front facade. The second floor, that would have been symmetrical to the ground one, and would have housed the sleeping accommodations.
The building materials used in the construction of the villa were rough stone and terracotta, which, by stylistic choice of the architect, was left visible. The windows were decorated with corner pilasters and floral patterns or with bricks placed in rays.
Fraccaroli Castle Today
[edit]Today, the building stands beautifully preserved, surrounded by an enchanting garden, extended more in width than in depth with a succession of prestigious halls. The side turrets and numerous arches lend the facade a majestic and imposing presence. The property is enclosed by a gate, to prohibit entry to the most curious, waiting for the night to wander though the rooms in search of ghosts.
The owner's family affairs was unable to complete the villa, even if it is probable that the construction had been completed up to the roof level and that the ground floor was fit for habitation, and subsequent owners lacked the resources and commitment to take on such an ambitious project. The villa remains abandoned however with great potential for future predicts.[12]
During the First World War, the castle was used for military purposes and since the village of Piovene Rocchette was very close to the war, the villa was bombed, and the left wing of the castle was completely destroyed and it has never been rebuilt.[13]
The FAI initiative, "Fund for the Italian Environment", which has included Villa Fraccaroli among the places to be saved, on the recovery project and since 2016, Villa Fraccaroli has been listed among the FAI's Places of the Heart, recognizing its cultural and historical significance. [14]
Gallery
[edit]-
View of the Castle, Piovene Rocchette -
The main entrance of the Fraccaroli Castle
References
[edit]- ^ AltoVicentinOnline; Altovicentinonline, Giornalisti (2023-08-25). "Piovene Rocchette. Palazzo Fraccaroli e la leggenda dello spirito della bambina". AltoVicentinOnline (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ Vicentine, Storie (2023-03-19). "Alessandro Rossi: l'industriale vicentino filantropo". Vipiù (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-11-13.
- ^ a b Lampedecchia, Pamela (2016). I misteri d'Italia [The Mysteries of Italy] (in Italian). Lulu.com (published 5 May 2016). ISBN 9781326646752.
- ^ "Palazzino Fraccaroli". www.outdooractive.com (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-11-07.
- ^ "Villa Fraccaroli, il Castello degli Spiriti di Piovene". Love Velo d'Astico (in Italian). 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
- ^ "Piovene Rocchette, Villa Fraccaroli: il mistero della bimba fantasma". VicenzaToday (in Italian). 2018-01-28. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ "Piovene Rocchette, Villa Fraccaroli: il mistero della bimba fantasma". VicenzaToday (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ Piovene. La leggenda della bimba morta a Villa Fraccaroli. altovicentino.it
- ^ Negrin, Antonio Caregaro (2005). Ricatti Tavone, Bernardetta (ed.). Scritti sui giardini. Fonti e testi inediti e rari per la civiltà delle ville venete. Torino: Allemandi. ISBN 978-88-422-1320-8.
- ^ Negrin, Antonio Caregaro (1873). Nella commemorazione del 10 giugno 1848 sul monte Berico parole pronunciate (in Italian). Biblioteca di storia moderna e contemporanea, Rome: Tip. reale G. Burato.
- ^ La dolce vita di Fraka. 2020. p. 512.
- ^ "Villa Fraccaroli, il Castello degli Spiriti di Piovene". Love Velo d'Astico (in Italian). 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
- ^ https://www.vicenzatoday.it/social/piovene-rocchette-villa-fraccaroli-bimba-fantasma.html
- ^ "Villa Fraccaroli: il castello stregato degli spiriti – Pensiero spensierato" (in Italian). 2014-05-24. Retrieved 2024-11-12.