32 hectares and 18 kilometres of avenues in Genoa Voltri. An 18th century park commissioned by the Brignole-Sale family, it has hosted nobles and ambassadors from European kingdoms. An Italian garden, a theatre dating from 1785, a romantic wood, a neo-Romanesque castle with grottoes and artificial waterfalls, olive trees, fallow deer, goats and an ancient shrine all stand on hills overlooking Voltri and the Ligurian Sea between Genoa and Savona.
In 1675 the villa was purchased by Giovanni Francesco Brignole Sale, after extension work the Brignole Sale family renamed it Villa Grande. In 1699, Marquis Anton Giulio Brignole Sale commissioned construction work on the formal garden, which was completed in 1711. The Doge Giovanni Francesco Brignole Sale was responsible for the terraces, coat of arms and staircase in 1746. In 1780, Giuseppe Canepa from Vercelli decorated the interior of the villa in Rococo style, which was followed by Gaetano Cantone's work on the historic theatre. In 1803, Emanuele Andrea Tagliafichi worked on the villa, who designed an English-style park and worked on some of the palace interiors. In 1814, Carlo Barabino completed the wood known as 'del Leone' (of the Lion) and in 1872, Maria Brignole Sale De Ferrari, Duchess of Galliera, had the vast romantic garden designed by Giuseppe Rovelli. In 1888, the duchess bequeathed it in perpetuity to the Opera Pia Brignole Sale. Since 1931, it has been in the use of the Municipality of Genoa, initially on a leasehold basis and then since 1985 on an ownership basis except for the palace and the garden in front of it.
Over the years it has hosted several illustrious guests including: Luisa Maria Adelaide of Bourbon-Penthièvre, Maria Christine of Savoy, Ferdinand II of Bourbon, King Charles Albert, Queen Maria Theresa of Habsburg and the Emperors Franz Joseph of Austria and Wilhelm II of Germany. The garden became famous in the first half of the 19th century for its camellias and citrus fruit collection, which were so popular that they were regularly sent as gifts to Maria Teresa, Queen of Sardinia and wife of Charles Albert of Savoy. M.P. Gauthier's depiction and Bertolotti's description in 1832 dates from those years: 'among princely halls, in the midst of gardens and woods of European renown'. In the last years of the Second World War, German troops equipped it with defensive works to control the coast and the Leira and Cerusa valleys. While the trenches are no longer visible, lookout and shelter bunkers are still present.
In 1675 the villa was purchased by Giovanni Francesco Brignole Sale, after extension work the Brignole Sale family renamed it Villa Grande. In 1699, Marquis Anton Giulio Brignole Sale commissioned construction work on the formal garden, which was completed in 1711. The Doge Giovanni Francesco Brignole Sale was responsible for the terraces, coat of arms and staircase in 1746. In 1780, Giuseppe Canepa from Vercelli decorated the interior of the villa in Rococo style, which was followed by Gaetano Cantone's work on the historic theatre. In 1803, Emanuele Andrea Tagliafichi worked on the villa, who designed an English-style park and worked on some of the palace interiors. In 1814, Carlo Barabino completed the wood known as 'del Leone' (of the Lion) and in 1872, Maria Brignole Sale De Ferrari, Duchess of Galliera, had the vast romantic garden designed by Giuseppe Rovelli. In 1888, the duchess bequeathed it in perpetuity to the Opera Pia Brignole Sale. Since 1931, it has been in the use of the Municipality of Genoa, initially on a leasehold basis and then since 1985 on an ownership basis except for the palace and the garden in front of it.
Over the years it has hosted several illustrious guests including: Luisa Maria Adelaide of Bourbon-Penthièvre, Maria Christine of Savoy, Ferdinand II of Bourbon, King Charles Albert, Queen Maria Theresa of Habsburg and the Emperors Franz Joseph of Austria and Wilhelm II of Germany. The garden became famous in the first half of the 19th century for its camellias and citrus fruit collection, which were so popular that they were regularly sent as gifts to Maria Teresa, Queen of Sardinia and wife of Charles Albert of Savoy. M.P. Gauthier's depiction and Bertolotti's description in 1832 dates from those years: 'among princely halls, in the midst of gardens and woods of European renown'. In the last years of the Second World War, German troops equipped it with defensive works to control the coast and the Leira and Cerusa valleys. While the trenches are no longer visible, lookout and shelter bunkers are still present.
