Sasso Mobile

Also known as \"Casino dell'Olmo\" (House of the Elm Tree) after the Oratory of the Madonna dell'Olmo located just opposite, this villa is one two in Crespellano which up until recently was not attributed to Angelo Venturoli. In fact, as has been ascertained, the project was designed by Carlo Bianconi, brother of Giuseppe, who owned the villa. Having trained in the Veneto region, where the influence of Palladio's architecture was palpable, Venturoli, together with Carlo Bianconi, was responsible for adapting local architecture with respect to the canons of the Neoclassisim in vogue at the time, as evidenced by certain elements in this villa, such as the four columned atrium at the front of the building, the pediment and the well-calibrated proportions of the structure as a whole. The exterior elegance is matched by the functional rationality of the interior layout: the front staircase leads to the piano nobile and a great hall, and hides the ground floor, which houses the kitchen, various utility rooms and a carriage porch. The rest of the building is divided into a number of rooms originally designated as living quarters for the families of the Bianconi brothers and their guests. During the 19th century, ownership of the villa passd first to the Brunettis and subsequently to the Rusconis. Today it is home to a public health service-subsidized rehabilitation center and hosts many recreational and entertainment activities open to the public.