Villa Manzoni

Villa Manzoni Museum in Lecco

Villa Manzoni is a neo-classical style building, built before the 18th century and then renovated many times. The residential building unwinds around an courtyard arcaded with sandstone columns, incudes cottages and a large garden in the back, which plays part of a vast park. Belonging to the Manzoni family until 1818, it was sold to the Scola family; in 1962 it was passed on to the Town of Lecco. The building currently houses the Museo Manzoniano (Manzoni Museum), the Galleria Comunale d'Arte (Local Art Gallery), the Biblioteca (Library) Specialized in Museums with Separated Archive Section.

The Museo Manzoniano extends across 10 rooms, and early editions, manuscripts and memorabilia relative ot the life and works of Alessandro Manzoni can be seen there. The ground floor settings still have the original furnishings from 1818, when the writer sold the villa. In the courtyard, to the left is the tomb of Alessandro Manzoni's father. The ground floor is made up of the Sale Manzoniane (Manzoni rooms) where documents, memorabilia, the writer's furniture, etc. are placed; on the first floor is the Galleria comunale d' Arte (Local Art Gallery), open in 1938, which holds paintings by Lecce artists, a substantial collection of works by Ennio Morlotti, the collection of prints and the library.

The Galleria Comunale d'Arte (Local Art Gallery) displays works, from the 11th to the 20th century, of artists from Lecco or those having work in the territory. The local artists collections include 400 paintings and 2000 prints and engravings.

Museo Manzoniano Comunale d'Arte - Hours: 9.30 - 17.30 Closed Mondays.
Via Guanella 1 - Lecco. Tel. (+39) 0341 481249 - 481247 fax (+39) 0341 369251.