Ministry of Culture acquires Villa Verdi: expropriation decree signed

The Ministry of Culture, in the person of the Director General of the Directorate of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape, Luigi La Rocca, announced today the signing of the expropriation decree sanctioning the final acquisition by the state of Villa Verdi, or the estate that was once owned by the great composer Giuseppe Verdi (Roncole di Busseto, 1813 - Milan, 1901). The estate is located in Villanova sull’Arda (Piacenza), in the locality of Sant’Agata, and was Verdi’s principal residence from 1851. This measure is a crucial moment for the protection, preservation and enhancement of one of the most significant places in Italian musical and cultural history: the last home of Giuseppe Verdi. The measure was taken to save Villa Verdi from the degradation it was in as of the date of its final closure to the public (Oct. 31, 2022). The composer’s heirs, who still own the property, will receive a sum of money.

“Villa Verdi is a symbol of Italy’s cultural greatness and the place where the Maestro found inspiration for many of his immortal compositions,” says Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli. “Thanks to this important act, the state ensures its preservation and returns it to the community as the heritage of all,”

“I believe that the acquisition of Villa Verdi, the final outcome of a long procedural process,” Luigi La Rocca, on the other hand, stresses, “is a fundamental step in guaranteeing the preservation of the complex and its full enhancement through the creation of a Verdi itinerary that includes the different ’places’ of the maestro, the Giuseppe Verdi Theater and the Orlandi Palace in Busseto, and the house where he was born in Roncole.”

A heritage of great value

Villa Verdi is not only a historic building, but represents a heritage of extraordinary cultural, artistic and historical value, capable of conveying the legacy of the maestro who marked an era in music. The complex, which includes the historic park, impressive real estate and a vast collection of Verdi’s furnishings, works of art, epistolary letters and personal belongings, represents a unicum in the national and international arena. The villa, which sheltered Verdi in his final years, is also a symbol of the bond the composer maintained with his native land, despite living most of his life far from it.

The Ministry of Culture’s intervention, long desired by experts and music lovers, was necessary to ensure the preservation of a place that also plays a fundamental role in Italy’s historical and cultural memory. The protection and acquisition of the villa is also a step toward enhancing the value of an asset that deserves to be known and enjoyed by an ever wider public.

The importance of the acquisition

The acquisition by the state, sanctioned by the decree signed today, will make it possible to begin a series of urgent restoration and maintenance works on the property. These works will be aimed at ensuring the structural stability and preservation of the numerous objects and works of art that enrich the villa’s heritage. The enhancement of Villa Verdi is a key step in creating a center of reference for culture, music and the history of 19th-century Italy. The complex is expected to become, in the coming years, a meeting place for scholars, enthusiasts and tourists, a center dedicated to the memory of the Maestro and the dissemination of his work.

The acquisition measure is the result of a long and meticulous process that involved various institutional actors. The offices of the General Directorate of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape and the ABAP Superintendency for the provinces of Parma and Piacenza followed every phase of the complex administrative and technical process. The collaboration between the institutions made it possible to achieve this important goal, which now marks the beginning of a new phase for the villa, that of its complete valorization as a place of culture.

The planning of interventions, which also includes a program of conservative restoration to preserve the villa and its collections, envisages that the property will be officially placed in state ownership on February 28, 2025. On that date, Villa Verdi will become a public asset for all intents and purposes.

Ministry of Culture acquires Villa Verdi: expropriation decree signed

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.