Chapter XIV. Of the Designs of the country-houses belonging to some noble Venetians

THE following fabrick is at Bagnolo, a place two miles distant from Long, a castle in the Vicentine, and belongs to the magnificent Counts Vittore, Marco, and Daniele DE Pisani, brothers, The stables, the cellars, the granaries, and such like other places, for the use of the villa, are on each side of the court. The columns of the portico’s are of the Dorick order. The middle part of this fabrick is for the master’s habitation, The pavement of the first rooms, are seven foot high from the ground; under which are the kitchen and such like places for the family. The hall is vaulted, in height once and half its breadth, To this height also joins the vault of the loggia’s. The rooms are with flat ceilings, and their height equal to their breadth: the length of the greater is one square and two thirds, and of the others one square and an half. And it is to be observed, that great attention has not been given, in putting the lesser stairs in a place where they might have a strong light, (as we have recommended in the first book) because they being to serve to places below, and to those above, which are for granaries and mezati; wherefore, regard as been chiefly had to accommodate well the middle order, which is for the master’s habitation, and for strangers. The stairs that lead to this order, are put a very proper place, as may be seen by the designs,

This is aid also for an hint to the prudent reader, with rest to all the other fabricks of one order only; because, in those which have two, beautiful and well adorned, I have taken care that the stairs should be light, and put in commodious places: T say two, because that which goes under-ground for the cellars, and such like uses, and that which goes to the part above, and serves for granaries and mezati, I not call a principal order, as it does not lead to the habitation of the gentlemen.

The following fabrick belongs to the magnificent Signor Francesco Badoer, in the Plate Polesine, at a place called La Frata, ona site somewhat elevated, and washed by a branch of the Adige, where formerly stood a castle, belonging tosalinguerra DE Ese, brother-in-law to Ezzelino Da Romano.

The base to the whole edifice is a pedestal, five feet high; the pavement of the rooms is level with this height, which are all with flat ceilings, and have been adorned with grotesque work of a beautiful invention, by Giarro Fiorentino, The granaries are above, and the kitchen, cellars, and other places belonging to its convenience, are below. The columns of the loggia’s of the master’s house, are of the ionick order. The cornice, like a crown, encompasses the whole house. The frontispiece, over the loggia’s, forms a beautiful sight, because it makes the middle part higher than the sides. Lower on the plane are found the places for the steward, bailiff or farmer, stables, and other suitable for a villa.

The magnificent Signor Marco Zeno has built according to the following invention at Ce'alto, a place near to the Motto, a castle in the Trevigiano. The pavement of the rooms, all which are vaulted, is level with a basement which encompasses the whole fabrick. The height of the vaults of the greater, is according to the second manner for the height of vaults. Those that are square, have lunetti in the angles over the windows. The little rooms next the loggia, are coved a fascia, as also the hall. The vault of the loggia is as high as that of the hall, and” both exceed the height of the rooms. This fabrick has gardens, a court, a dove-house, and all that is necessary for a villa.

Nor very far from the Gambarare, on the Brenta, is the following fabrick, belonging to the magnificent Signors Nicolo and Luter DE Foscari. This fabrick is raised eleven foot from the ground; and underneath are the kitchens, servants halls, and such like places, and vaulted above as well as below. The height of the vaults of the greater rooms, is according to the first manner for the height of vaults. The square rooms have their vaults a cupola. Over the finall rooms, there are mezati, The vaults of the hall is crossed semicircularly the height of its impost, is as high as the hall is broad; which has been adorned with most excellent paintings, by Messer Battista Venetian. Master Battista Franco, a very great designer of our times, had begun to paint one of the great rooms; but being overtaken by death, has left the work imperfect. The loggia is of the Ionick order. The cornice goes round the house, and forms a frontispiece over the loggia; and on the opposite part below the main roof, there is another cornice, which passes over the frontispiece. The rooms above are like mezati, by reason of their lowness; because they are but eight foot high.

The following fabrick is at Maser, a village near Afb, a castle in the Trevigiano; belonging to Monsignor Reverendifiimo Eletto pe Aquileia, and to the magnificent Signor Marc’ Antonio DE Borsari, brothers, That part of the fabrick which varies a little forward, has two orders of rooms. The floor of those above is even with the level of the court backwards, where there is a fountain cut into the mountain opposite to the house, with infinite ornaments of stucco and paintings. This fountain forms a finall lake, which serves for a sith-pond. From this place the water runs into the kitchen; and after having watered the gardens that are on the right and left of the road, which leads gradually to the fabrick, it forms two fish-ponds, with their watering places upon the highroad; from whence it waters the kitchen garden, which is very large,and full of the most excellent fruits, and of different kinds of pulse. The front of the master’s house has four columns, of the Ionick order. The capitols of those in the angles face both ways, The method of making which capitols, I shall set down in the book of temples. On the one, and on the other part, there are loggia’s, which, in their extremities, have two dove-houses; and under them there are places to make wines, the stables, and other places for the use of the villa,

The following fabrick is near the gate of Montagnana, a call in the Padoano py, and was built hy the magnificent Signor Francesco Pisani; who being gone toa better life, could not finish it. The large rooms are one square and three quarters in length; the vaults are & schiffo, and in height according to the second manner for the height of vaults. The middle sized are square, and vaulted & cadino. The small rooms, and the passage, are of an equal breadth: their vaults are two squares in height; the entrance has four columns, one fifth less than those without, which support the pavement of the hall, and make the height of the vaults beautiful, and secure. In the four niches that are seen there, have been carved the four seasons of the year, by Master Alessandro VITTORIA, an excellent fenlpior. The first order of the columns is Dorick, the second Ionick. The rooms above, are with flat ceilings. The height of the hall reaches up to the roof.

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This fabrick has two streets on the wings, where there are two doors; over which there are passages that lead to the kitchen, and places for servants. 36. The following fabrick belongs to the magnificent Signor Giorcio Cornaro, at Piombino, a place in Caflelfranco. The fust order of the loggia’s is Ionick. The hall is placed in the most inward part of the house, that it may be far from the heat and cold.

The wings where the niches are seen, are in breadth the third part of its length. The columns answer directly to the last, but one, of the loggia’s, and are far distant from one anther, as they are high. The large rooms are one square and three quarters long. The height of the vaults is according to the first method for the height of vaults, The mid-de sized are square, one third higher than they are broad: their vaults are J dunctti. Over the small rooms there are mezati. The loggia’s above are of the Corinthian order. The columns are one fifth less than those underneath. The rooms are with flat ceilings, and have some mezati over them. On one part is the kitchen, and places for housewifery; and on the other, places for servants. 37. Task fabrick beneath belongs to the Clarissimo Cavalier ii Signor Lroxardoo Mocenico, at a village called Maracco, on the road from Venice to Trevigi. The cellars are above-ground, and over them, in one part, are the granaries, and on the other, conveniences for the family; and over these places, are the master’s rooms, divided into four apparent. The vaults of the larger, are one and twenty foot high, and made of cane, that they may be light. The vaults of the middle-sized are as high as those of the greater. The y may &! 2 (great vaults of the smaller rooms, or closets, are i crociere, and seventeen foot high. The loggia below is of the Ionick order. There are four columns in the ground hall, that the height may be proportionable to the breadth. The loggia above is of the Corinthian order, and has a poggio two foot and three quarters high.

THE stairs are placed in the middle, and divide the hall from the loggia, and go up, one contrary to the other, whereby one may go up and down on the right and left; and are both very convenient and beautiful, and sufficiently light.

This fabrick has on the wings, the places to make wine, the fables, portico’s, and other conveniencies, proper for the use of a villa, 38. Tux under fabrick is at Fanzol, a village in the Trevigiano, three miles distant from Castelfranco, belonging to the Magnificent Signor Leonardo Emo. The cellars, the granaries, the stables, and the other places belonging to a villa, are on each side of the master’s house; and at the extremity of each of them, 1s a dove-house, which affords both profit to the matter, and an ornament to the place; and to all which, one may go under cover: which is one of the principal things required in a villa, as has been before observed.

Behind this fabrick there is a square garden of eighty campi trevigiani; in the middle of which runs a little river, which makes the situation very delightful and beautiful.

IT has been adorned with paintings by Messer Battista VENETIAN.