In 1116 a little church dedicated to the Madonna was built on top of the Colle dell'Osservanza, and in 1805, while he was visiting Bologna, Napoleon saw it and was so struck by its magnificent view that he had a villa built nearby. This magnificent building was built between 1811 and 1816 by Giuseppe Nadi under the orders of the Napoleonic minister, Antonio Aldini. The façade is in a neoclassical style with a large pronaos with ionic columns, and a tympanum enriched by stucco reliefs depicting the Olympian Gods. The little round church dedicated to the Madonna was encompassed inside the villa.
Homes - Historic
By: Effi
