THE STUNNING VILLA MINETTA: RESIDENCE OF ITALY'S RICHEST MAN

AN EXPLORATION BY THE URBEX CAFE.

In today's article, we will tell the story of one of the most fascinating Art Nouveau villas inPiedmont, which has seen many guests and owners pass through its walls.
The name of the place we're talking isVilla Minetta, also known asVilla del Vinaio (Winemaker's Villa)or theVilla of the richest man in Italy, and is located not far from the town center, on the rolling hills surrounding a small village in the province of Alessandria, protected by6 acresof uncultivated land, but one that still has a certain charm.

The history of Villa Minetta is one of numerous changes of ownership, beginning in the early 1900s. However, prior to that time, the building looked completely different. Its current classic style and luxurious appearance are the result of the work of entrepreneur and parliamentarianCount Edilio Raggio(1840-1906, known as the richest man in Italy, who designing it as his urban residence and characterizing it with what are now its colors, white and pink. Despite the count's death in 1906 inside the villa, the family continued to live there until 1930, when they moved to their other propertyVilla Lomellina. During the war, the villa was inhabited by an Italian general. He was succeeded by the Germans, who used the building as their headquarters before the arrival of American soldiers. Around September 7, 1877, it appears that the prestigious villa was also the residence ofKing Victor Emmanuel IIandPrince Umberto of Savoy.

Moving forward, Villa Minetta welcomes Giovanni Palmiri, also known as the”Red Devil.”He is a member of a circus family that found itself in extreme financial difficulty due to the war. On August 17, 1947, Palmiri performs a world-first stunt in the skies above Milan, performing acrobatics while suspended from a trapeze attached to a flying airplane. Unfortunately, in 1949, the Red Devil came face to face with death due to a stunt that caused him to fall more than 20 meters onto the square in Mestre. The family never returned to Villa Minetta.

Photos byErika Artale📸

After the circus performers, ownership passed to theSpinoglio family, which finally breathed new life into the villa; the park was fitted with a very spaciousswimming pool, which finally breathed new life into the villa; the park was fitted out with a spacious swimming pool, a tennis court with a sauna and changing rooms, and cellars in the basement housing a prestigious collection ofartisanal wines..

Some time later, however, the Spinoglio family was also forced to abandon their residence, and the property was auctioned off. It appears thatDody Al Fayedwas interested in buying it so that he could live there withLady Diana.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WINEMAKER'S VILLA?

Quite some time ago, the building was the site of an”house sale”, a type of auction where buyers could admire and choose all the furnishings right where they were, and then purchase them. Everything was then sold and taken elsewhere.
Today, the gorgeous villa is in a state of complete abandonment, and the 6 hectares of parkland are nothing more than a mass of brambles and weeds that block even the view.

Footage ofErika Artale📸

During our exploration, we are greeted by a group of kids who tell us that they are frequent visitors of Winemaker's Villa, and they insist on personally showing us the wooded area where we will find the famous structures built by the Spinoglio family. Between a bramble tangled around our shoes and a piece of broken glass we narrowly avoided, the group tells us about their little adventures in this dilapidated place, which, as they say, is frequented by many more or less bizarre and dangerous characters. Following them and trying to keep up behind their bicycles, we felt a bit like we were in an American sci-fi movie from the early 2000s. The enthusiasm of the young locals to show this beautiful scenery to some of the many explorers was palpable and extremely high. We arrive at the center of this immense park, and what we find in front of us makes our eyes sparkle: a large, colorful swimming pool with a stone diving board. We stop to take some photos and silently contemplate every detail of this wonderful backdrop, with the strong rays of the sun beating down on our faces.

Photos byErika Artale📸

Before going inside the villa, though, we said goodbye to the really nice group of kids who had kept us company until then, telling them to be really careful.

This is how we arrive at the residence so coveted and desired by all the illustrious figures of the area and beyond, which immediately greets us with a detail that is difficult to ignore on the right side of the garden: a well-preserved greenish doghouse with the name”Leo”written on it. Once upon a time, the exterior wall of the villa also showed statues that depicted Greek gods.

Photos byErika Artale📸

From the outside, Villa Minetta presents itself with a liveliness of colors and exciting shapes, although you only need to set foot inside to notice its extreme deterioration. Raggio's former home is veryunsafeRaggio's former home is very unsafe, especially the upper floor, where part of the roof has collapsed, making it inaccessible due to the lack of stairs. Some explorers have found a solution to this problem by placing a large door between one step and another, but it does not seem to be very stable. The downstairs is now completely destroyed, with stripped walls and hundreds of shards and debris of all kinds on the floor, and the only thing that seems to be holding up are themarble columnsRaggio's former home is very unsafe, especially the upper floor, where part of the roof has collapsed, making it inaccessible due to the lack of stairs. Some explorers have found a solution to this problem by placing a large door between one step and another, but it does not seem to be very stable. The ground floor is now completely destroyed, with stripped walls and hundreds of shards and debris of all kinds on the floor, and the only thing that seems to be holding up are the marble columns in the center of what appears to have been a large hall. Looking up, we certainly do not find ourselves under a blue starry sky, quite the contrary. What we see is a roof that is unsafe and corroded by time, but which still encloses the beauty of thefrescoesand gold details, one of the very few things that vandals and neglect have spared.

Photos byErika Artale📸

At this point, we decide to explore the most talked-about area of the entire villa, thebasement.
The atmosphere changes radically, as do the plays of light and shadow, and the immense silence envelops us and keeps us alert. Even the air becomes heavy and we can smell the pungent scent of old wine, the reason for which we will discover later.

We notice that, among the many passages beneath the villa, one is full of machinery probably used for the house, aclosed underground tunnelsed to connect to the old tennis court, and severalbunkersthat are no longer open to visitors.
But the most interesting part of the entire villa is thewine cellar, from where that strong smell came, crammed with hundreds, if not thousands, of bottles of artisanal wine, labeled as”Barbera Wine”Through the next door, you enter a different room, made of stone and covered entirely in red wallpaper, complete with a counter reminiscent of a typicalwinery tasting room.Next, there is another evocative room with an oven, where it seems that recentritualshave been performed, and immediately behind us is a noose hanging from the ceiling, which left us somewhat shocked.

Photos byErika Artale📸

There are many interesting facts and rumors surrounding these two rooms, such as the near certainty that they were used for meetings between personalities from the world ofFreemasonry. And this is not surprising, considering who was the first owner and the successive guests who stayed at Villa Minetta. Many elements, including the double walls and narrow passages built to reach the rooms, suggest that there were masonic lodges inside.

Due to the late hour and the fact that the sun was almost setting, we decided to take our leave, but we left a piece of our hearts at Villa Minetta and jealously guarded our intense experience and the profound feelings we had felt.
The famous Winemaker's Villa is undoubtedly one of the most destroyed and degraded places, but it actually hides an immense beauty that cannot be grasped or understood only through material objects; one must go beyond that.

Footage ofErika Artale📸

It seems that the industrialist Valter Merletti put an end to its history when he decided to buy the villa in2004, but never managed to renovate it.
Today, as is often the case, this prestigious residence remains a hugeforgotten skeletonsurrounded by the gloomy greenery of nature.

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