Historic 18th-century country house with Italian garden and private park – Viterbo

This 18th-century villa located on the outskirts of Viterbo is an excellent example of rural architecture typical of the Lazio region, combining the elegance of country residences with the typical functionality of agricultural dwellings of the period. It features a structured layout, developed into two wings arranged around a central core, with a compact yet dynamic volume. It is a manor house with integrated rustic outbuildings, following a typology widespread in Lazio in the 18th century, where residence, farm, and entertainment venue coexist in a single architectural entity.

Viterbo – near the historic center, outside the city walls
Immersed in the greenery of an elegant private park of approximately 2.5 hectares, this prestigious 18th-century farmhouse represents a rare example of noble rural architecture in Upper Lazio, just minutes from the center of Viterbo. The complex consists of a main villa, an attached caretaker’s house, a series of rural buildings and outbuildings, including an ancient family chapel, a cellar, a wood-burning oven, stables, a Roman well, and a charming peperino stone fountain. The total retail space is 970 square meters.

Architecture and Layout
The main villa, spread over two levels plus a walkable attic and a belvedere tower, stands out for the charm of its interiors and the integrity of the original historical elements:

Scenographic entrance with barrel vaults and a cross vault;
Large reception room with a stucco fireplace and a frescoed vault with naturalistic motifs;
Four bedrooms with frescoed cross vaults, two with biblical themes;
A living room with a coffered wooden ceiling and perfectly preserved original Tuscan terracotta floors;

Kitchen, three bathrooms, utility rooms, and a fascinating vertical path leading to the attic and the turret.

The attic, with an average height of 2.10 m, is connected to the panoramic tower, likely the original medieval core of the building, which offers a 360° view of the Viterbo countryside.

Exteriors and Appurtenances
The farmhouse is surrounded by an Italian garden with sculpted hedges, paths, and ornamental plants, as well as an olive grove with approximately 250 trees, a small vineyard, and arable land.

Appurtenances include:
Caretaker’s house, which can be connected to the villa;
Reconvertible old granary (SCIA);
Private chapel;

Two small warehouses/storage rooms;

Underground cellar;

Brick rural oven and stable area.

Potential and Historical Value
The property is ideal for exclusive residential use, charming hospitality, or prestigious functions, thanks to its architectural value, proximity to the town center, and easy accessibility. Some frescoes and decorative details appear to be of artistic craftsmanship, while the masonry, period fixtures, and peperino stone elements testify to the property’s authenticity and historical value.
AREA AND URBAN PLANNING
Total commercial area: approx. 970 m²
Land/park area: approx. 25,000 m²
Condition: To be partially restored, with the possibility of recovery and enhancement through urban planning tools (SCIA)
Commercial area survey:

Main villa 750 m²
Caretaker’s house 180 m² (83%)
Rabbit hutch 57 m² (33%)
Warehouse 35 m² (33%)
Laundry 14 m² (33%)
Cellar 14 m² (25%)
Total: 932 m² covered commercial area

URBAN PLANNING IDENTIFICATION
* Farmhouse on the ground and first floors, category A/4, 10.5 rooms
* Caretaker’s house, category A/4, 4.5 rooms
* Attached land: olive grove, vineyard, and arable land for a total of Approximately 20,000 sq m
* Existing restrictions: Property declared of historical and architectural interest, of particular importance pursuant to Title I of Legislative Decree 29.10.99 no. 490

Main architectural features
Structure and materials:
Load-bearing masonry in local tuff and plastered brick, with surfaces now finished in white lime, a solution that reflects light and harmoniously interacts with the surrounding agricultural landscape.
Roofing:

Sloping roofs covered in antique terracotta tiles, arranged irregularly but consistently with the building tradition of the period. Numerous brick chimneys and small dormer windows punctuate the slopes, revealing the presence of service rooms in the attic.

Main façade:

Structured over two main floors plus the attic, with a symmetrical yet sober composition, typical of 18th-century rural classicism.

Regular openings are framed by simple plastered moldings.
Windows with wooden shutters painted dark green, a traditional feature of rural Lazio.
The segmental arch entrance portal in local stone is unadorned but well-proportioned.
An oculus, or circular window, at the center of the façade serves as an ornamental motif and a source of light for the upper flow.

Decorative elements:
The decorative elements are minimal and restrained, relying on proportions and texture rather than ornamentation. The use of white and earthy tones of the tiles creates an elegant and natural chromatic balance.

Context and Landscape

The villa is immersed in an agricultural and wooded setting typical of Upper Lazio, characterized by gentle slopes, olive groves, and rows of oak trees.
A wide driveway paved with flagstones or local stone leads to the building, lending it a sober monumentality.
The layout suggests the presence of courtyards or gardens behind it, perhaps serving both productive purposes (vegetable gardens, lemon groves, stables) and decorative purposes.

Historical and Architectural Value
The building represents an interesting example of an 18th-century Viterbo country villa, belonging to the tradition of late-Baroque rustic villas of Lazio, where agricultural function is elevated to a prestigious architectural form.
The sober architectural language, the symmetry, and the attention to detail of the roof with antique tiles indicate a building commissioned by a cultured noble family, perhaps previously a religious order with agricultural holdings in the area.