Villa Giustiniani in Bassano Romano in danger: the appeal to save it

Villa Giustiniani, the famous historical and architectural complex located in Bassano Romano, is in grave danger. A jewel of Tuscia, rich in history and immersed in 20 hectares of parkland, is in danger of disappearing under neglect and degradation. Launching an appeal for its salvation is Paola Marchetti, president of Confepi Salute and activist of the group “Bassano Partecipa,” who denounces the total lack of adequate interventions despite the funds allocated by the Ministry of Culture from 2018.“Villa Giustiniani,” Marchetti explains, “is owned by the state, which, for the recovery of the palace, the 20 hectares of parkland and the adjoining perimeter walls, allocated several million euros in 2018, flaunted by ministers and local administrators as the panacea of all evil but still unused after seven long years.”

Villa Giustiniani, also known as Palazzo Odescalchi-Giustiniani, has a rich and troubled history. From being the home of the Odescalchi and Giustiniani families, it passed through centuries of vicissitudes until it was acquired by the Italian state. However, the management of the complex has undergone numerous transfers of responsibilities between different organs - from the Superintendence to the Polo Museale, to the Lazio Regional Museums Directorate and the autonomous Museum of the Monumental Villas of Tuscia - with unsatisfactory results. Although the Superintendency’s re-roofing marked a potential revival, the following years were marked by stagnation and neglect. Stripping of furnishings, paintings and statues further impoverished the complex, while promised interventions remained on paper.

“The perimeter walls,” Marchetti explains, “continue to systematically collapse in some parts, while the park gates appear to be at risk and in critical condition, with areas propped up, roads semi-interrupted, public safety jeopardized, the interior frescoes in need of intervention, as well as other structural parts of the property.”

Funds allocated but not used

From 2018 to the present, the Ministry of Culture has allocated a total of about 9 million euros for the restoration of Villa Giustiniani, with the last financial intervention in 2024 (270 thousand euros) earmarked for the rehabilitation of the kitchens and adjoining rooms. However, as Marchetti points out, concrete works have been limited to marginal operations: cataloguing of the tree heritage, cleaning of the park, remediation of the pigeon-infested attic.

Confepi Salute’s appeal is addressed to the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, and the President of the Lazio Region, Francesco Rocca, with the hope that decisive action will be taken to safeguard the complex. The symbolic date for this mobilization is next Jan. 26, 2025, when “Bassano Partecipa” will organize a day dedicated to Villa Giustiniani. The event, which will include a walk open to citizens, will feature the participation of personalities from the worlds of culture and entertainment, united in the demand for concrete action.

A future to be built

Villa Giustiniani faces various threats: neglect, abandonment, shoring and scaffolding that have become permanent from temporary, lack of management of buffer areas, lack of monitoring, poor planned maintenance, collapses, landslides, hydrogeological disruptions, wrong interventions, and poor enjoyment and enhancement. Saving Villa Giustiniani means not only preserving a priceless historical and architectural asset, but also reviving a place that could be an engine for tourism and culture in Lazio.

The fate of Villa Giustiniani now depends on the ability of institutions to transform promises into concrete actions. The citizens of Bassano Romano and local associations are clamoring for action, before it is too late.

Villa Giustiniani in Bassano Romano in danger: the appeal to save it

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