After three years of restoration, the Pojega Garden in Negrar, Valpolicella, was reopened on May 8. Created in 1783 by Count Antonio Rizzardi, it is one of the last examples of a formal Italian garden combined with English romanticism. The restoration, supported by PNRR funds, brought to light historical elements and introduced technological innovations. The artist Miguel Berrocal, who lived for a long time in Villa Rizzardi, was also honored.

The Garden of Pojega

in Negrar in Valpolicella, returns to its original beauty after three years of restoration

One of the last examples of a formal Italian garden, where geometric elements blend harmoniously with the picturesque charm of the English romantic garden.

Commissioned at the end of the eighteenth century by Count Antonio Rizzardi, in the heart of the family estate in Valpolicella, this unique piece combines perspective architecture, green scenography and symbolic paths that make the visitor the protagonist of the scene.

The reopening inauguration

May 8th marks a date to remember for the Italian Cultural Heritage. With an event that saw the participation of representatives of the cultural, institutional and entrepreneurial world, the end of the renovation works and the reopening of the Pojega Garden of Villa Rizzardi were celebrated. A jewel in the history of Italian art and gardens, returned to shine after three years of work that involved highly specialized professionals.

The ambitious restoration project was among the 120 admitted to access the funds of the PNRR call for the enhancement of historic parks and gardens (among over a thousand applications). A recovery strongly desired by Count Agostino Rizzardi to bring back to its ancient splendor a monument of living art, returning it to its original function as a living place, conceived to arouse wonder and contemplation.

The Garden of Pojega: A 250-Year-Old Story

Almost 250 years after its creation, the Pojega Garden is still owned by the same family. Commissioned in 1783 by Count Antonio Rizzardi to the famous architect Luigi Trezza, it was designed with the aim of entertaining guests through continuous twists and turns, starting a dialogue with nature and natural architecture.

Trezza organized the space on three parallel levels, taking advantage of the terraces that follow the morphology of the hill. The main architecture of the current garden, of 54,000 square meters, faithfully reflects those of the original project, as can be seen from the tables kept at the Civic Library of Verona, where the Belvedere, the Tempietto, the Teatro di verzura and the Laghetto are recognizable.

The Teatro di Verzura

Among these architectural elements, the Teatro di verzura stands out, faithful to the original project, excellently preserved, of dimensions and design unique in the world. Built even before the current Villa Rizzardi – already in the era of nascent Romanticism – the Pojega Garden combines one of the last examples of a formal Italian garden with a romantic English park.

The Garden of Pojega: the responsibility of beauty

In the late afternoon of Thursday 8 May, Count Agostino Rizzardi welcomed the evening’s guests, stating:

Being the custodian of a jewel of green architecture unique in the world like the Pojega Garden is a great joy and also a responsibility that I feel strongly towards the Italian cultural heritage and my family. For me it represents an important challenge, because the restoration is only the first step in a series of initiatives implemented to make the garden more accessible to an increasingly wider public. Today the Pojega Garden is at the height of its splendor because the green architecture is fully completed and closely interacts with the original architectural elements, now restored

The Garden of Pojega: technological innovations

Count Rizzardi then illustrated some of the new features: from the web app to accompany the visitor, to the interactive internet portal, to the various events already scheduled. The inaugural evening was attended by some of the protagonists of this story of rebirth, such as the engineer Filippo Giustiniani, director of the works, the landscape architect Giuseppe Rallo, who oversaw the restoration of the greenery, moderated by the architect Daniela Cavallo, expert of the Trezza.

A distinguished guest Miguel Berrocal

Than a grateful Rizzardi family took the opportunity to pay homage to the artist Miguel Berrocal (1933-2006) and the long period of life spent at Villa Rizzardi (from 1967 to 2004), by installing the gilded bronze sculpture Sainte Agathe II (Opus 103) (1964-1968) in the atrium of the residence. Donna Cristina Berrocal, wife of the Spanish sculptor, who attended the event, recalled and commented on the value of living in an inspirational place like Villa Rizzardi and the Pojega Garden:

Villa Rizzardi became for me a machine for living, thinking and dreaming. Anyone who wanted to visit the garden was always guaranteed entry, because we could not enjoy such a privilege without sharing it in some way with others,” Donna Berrocal read from her husband’s unpublished memoirs, adding, “This has always been the true value of the Pojega Garden and I thank Count Rizzardi for having brought it back to its original grandeur. Returning to Villa Rizzardi today is a profound emotion for me. For almost forty years this place has been our home, our refuge, the heart of our family.

Now on horseback! The work awaits us! Our new wonderful outdoor space is about to be born!

GOOD WORK and…if you have any questions, write to info@mondodelgiardino.com

Image sources: for the photos, thanks to the Communication Agency Studio BElive