The words “hunting lodge” don’t begin to do justice to a storied villa now for sale in the heart of Lesa, a village on the Italian side of Lake Maggiore. Yet that’s the purpose for which this distinctive manor home was built in 1788 by the family of Savio di Bernistel, who would grow up to be a member of Parliament.
The manor home on Lake Maggiore in Lesa was built in 1788 by the family of Savio di Bernistel.
Capped by a lookout turret amid rooftops lined with parapets, the castle-like villa later passed to the Sozzani family, whose patriarch was a military leader in the unification of Italy. The clan remodeled the villa in 1880 while retaining such Italianate features as the round-arched windows, intricate mosaic tile floors and highly ornamented ceilings.
The castle-like property was later owned by the Sozzani family, whose patriarch was a military ... [+]
Tall doorways within the 1,300 square meters (nearly 14,000 square feet) of refined living space are topped by decorated pediments. The chandelier-crowned formal dining room opens to a window-lined reception hall. A marble fireplace and herringbone patterned floors are among the details in the living room. Several rooms open to rooftop patios where views take in Lake Maggiore and Lesa.
The Sozzani family remodeled the villa in 1880 while retaining the round-arched windows, mosiac tile ... [+]
Adjoining structures add another 1,200 square meters (13,000 square feet) of functional space. There are 25 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms in all.
The lush grounds, with mature landscaping and swaths of lawn, encompass more than 15,000 square meters or close to 4 acres of land.
Decorated pediments top the formal dining room, which opens to a reception hall.
For the last 37 years, the property has been in use as event space, says Pascal Brülhart of Building Heritage. “It can either be maintained as an investment property and event space,” he says, “but it can also be turned into a private residence, both as primary or vacation home.”
The living room features a marble fireplace.
Lake Maggiore, with its island villas built by aristocrats and manicured formal gardens, is among the scenic gems of Italy’s lake district. Surrounded by mountains, it is the second-largest lake in Italy and the largest in neighboring Switzerland.
Vaulted and beamed ceilings create a sense of volume throughout the 14,000-square-foot floor plan.
Lesa, known for extravagant and imposing estates built for noble families, remains a fashionable getaway for today’s wealthy. The property is about 800 meters (less than half a mile) from the city center.
Steel and glass palladian-style doors open to gardens and lush grounds.
Brülhart of Building Heritage is representing the villa, which is being marketed as “price on request.” According to a statement from the team at Building Heritage in Como and office manager Lucia Rovelli: “The market on Lake Maggiore is on the rise, and we are talking about properties, which vary from €2 million up to €15 million [about US $2.125 million to US $16 million].”
Rooftop patios take in views of Lake Maggiore and Lesa.
For the last 37 years, the property has been in utilized as event space.
The property is listed with Building Heritage and marketed as "price on request." Lake Maggiore ... [+]
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