Villa Cicogna Mozzoni

A hunting lodge was built between 1400 and 1500, by the Mozzoni family. The design was modified, and became a renaissance villa, after 1580 - by the Campi brothers of Cremona, the residence was transformed into a collection of precious paintings and frescoes, casement ceilings and Renaissance furniture. The garden has a parterre and water garden with a famously long double staircase (156 steps) lined with cypresses and rising to a grotto. There are splendid views, with a glimpse of Lake Lugano.

Head Gardener's Comment

The garden and the villa were built simultaneously to have continuity between outside and inside, that's why I suggest visiting both. The first garden (near to the portico) with two large fishponds and many statues, is like an open air room with the walls made with tufo stone on one side and bay hedge on the other, at the same height as the first floor of the villa. The other two terraced gardens looking north are the perfect continuation of the house, large as the first garden but much longer. The water-staircase as well seems to start from the large window below and climb up to the sky. Finally the English park with green houses completes the garden, we have many trees dating to the end of the eighteenth century like Fagus sylvatica atropurpurea (copper beach), Taxus baccata, Cedrus libani, Quercus suber, Thuja occidentalis, Ilex aquifolium, Quercus ilex and four huge Camellias. The view from the belvedere looking towards Lake Lugano and the mountain profile is beautiful.