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[Villa Monastero] [Inside] [The Garden]

Villa Monastero is located in Varenna, a picturesque medieval village, rich in artistic monuments on the east coast of Lake Como, and a tourist destination traditionally appreciated also for its stupendous nature and landscape.

Villa Monastero, ancient monastery and patrician abode, is today an intemational Conference Centre that offers the possibility at holding conferences in extremely suggestive surroundings.
Villa Monastero was developed on the ancient female Cistercian monastery of Santa Maria. which was probably founded before 1200 and closed in 1567.
The ownership then went to the noble Mornico family of Valsassina in 1569, who transformed it in 1645 and then sold it in 1862 to Mr. Genazzini from Bellagio. In 1869 the new owner was Mrs. Carolina Maumary-Seufferheid, Massimo d'Azeglio's sister-in-Jaw.
On her death in 1897 the shipowner W.E. Kees took over the estate.
Later in 1918 1he Villa was confiscated and went to the Opera Nazionale Combattenti a state association, that then sold it to Mr. Marco De Marchi, who left it to the Italian Institute of Hydrobiology Dr. Marco De Marchi.
In 1977 Villa Monastero changed ownership' for the last time and went to C.N.R. (National Counsel for Research).
In the second half of 19th century the Villa underwent important restoration work and now offers a spectacularly beautiful garden amidst the enchanting scenery of the lake.
Villa Monastero is equipped with a principal conference room whith a capacity of about 100 seats (the Enrico Fermi room), smaller rooms for workgroups, and 12 bedrooms.