Villa Badoer known as La Badoera

Villa Badoer, known as “la Badoera”, was designed by Andrea Palladio in 1556: It is the only Unesco site in the province of Rovigo. Nowadays “la Badoera”, the architectural heart of a town called Fratta Polesine, is open to visitors and hosts the national archaeological museum of Fratta Polesine.

The Villa, elevated above ground level, dominates the surrounding countryside landscape, the villa’s facade with pronaos creates a strong scenic effect. Like all Venetian villas, “la Badoera” was born at the time of the Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia (Most Serene Republic of Venice) as a base for the management of agricultural activities.

At the same time the house was symbolic of the union of Francesco Badoer and Lucietta Loredan, exponents of two powerful noble families in Venice. Inside the Villa, the frescos of Giallo Fiorentino, testifying the friendship between Francesco Badoer and his brother-in-law Giorgio Loredan, can be admired.

Villa Badoer appears in the essay “The four books of architecture” written in 1570 by Palladio.