Villa Saporiti was built between 1790 and 1793 for Marchioness Eleonora Villani and remained in the possession of her noble family until 1858, when her heirs sold it to Marquis Marcello Rocca Saporiti, who gave the villa its name.
Despite some later additions, the building has preserved its original appearance, both in its architectural structure and in most of its interiors.
The two-storey villa is better known as “La Rotonda” (The Rotunda) because of its impressive rounded central section overlooking the lake. The façade features semi-columns alternating with windows topped by medallions depicting pagan deities associated with water.
Inside, in addition to the spacious elliptical central hall with its vaulted ceiling, visitors can admire a double-flight staircase designed by Luigi Cagnola leading to the first floor, a small sitting room with a mosaic floor inspired by ancient Rome, the library, Corinthian columns, and early 19th-century statues.
Many famous figures stayed at the villa between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Among its most distinguished guests was Napoleon Bonaparte, who visited the villa in 1797 during his stay on Lake Como.
In 1950, Villa Saporiti was purchased by the Provincial Administration of Como, which carried out the necessary restoration work and established its headquarters in the historic residence.
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