Villa Manzoni a Lecco it belonged to Manzoni family from 1615 until 1818, when it was sold by the writer Alessandro Manzoni to the School family.
It is the place where the young spent childhood and early youth before joining his mother Giulia Beccaria in Paris.
From here got inspiration to to compose his masterpiece, the novel “I promise sposi”, set in Lecco and its surroundings.
Di neoclassical appearance, also includes the chapel of the Assumption, restored in 2020 with the adjoining sacristy, which houses the burial di Peter Manzoni, father of the writer and client of the villa. Above the altar is the beautiful altarpiece by Carlo Preda (1654-1729), dedicated to the Madonna Assunta. On the walls, the XNUMXth century "Conversion of the Unnamed" by Arcangiolo Birelli and an XNUMXth century "Holy family with San Giovannino".
Villa Manzoni: Manzoni Museum and Municipal Art Gallery
The Villa houses, in the original rooms, the Manzoni Museum, recently renovated (2019), that enhances la figure of Manzoni and pays due tribute to the writer who made the city of Lecco famous throughout the world.
Preserve some furnishings e objects belonged to the writer e numerous prints, engravings relating to the famous romance, together with original editions of the 1827 and 1840, the latter illustrated by Francesco Gonin and edited by the author.
There are also editions of the novel translated into all languages, and the most important editions illustrated by famous artists from Gaetano Previati, to Aligi Sassu, to Giorgio De Chirico and others. The new layout is integrated by a multimedia and scenic apparatus that takes the visitor into the heart of the novel and into the atmosphere of our territory
On the second floor there is:
- la Municipal Art Gallery Modern which keeps a selection of works forming part of art collections OF THE Civic Museums from the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth century, with sacred subjects, landscapes, portraits and still lifes.
- la Specialized library, which includes, among others, Manzoni's ancient collection, that of Stoppani and precious Cinquecentine, to which is added the modern collection with more than 20.000 volumes and periodicals.
- la Separate Section of the Archive made up of special funds, in particular the Badoni Family Archive Fund.
- la photo library, made up of more than 3000 photographs and glass plates from the end of the 800s to the mid-900s by important authors of our area such as Giuseppe Pessina. The Photo Library is constantly growing thanks to important new donations
- The specialized library, the separate archive section and the photo library can be consulted by appointment
In addition to Villa Manzoni and its museums, the following are part of the Si.MUL (Lecchese Urban Museum System):
- The museum center of Palazzo Belgioioso which houses the Archaeological Museum, the Historical Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Civic Planetarium.
- The museum center of Palazzo delle Paure where the Contemporary Art Gallery is home to important works by authors from the second half of the 900s to the end of the XNUMXth century, such as Morlotti, Castellani, Pomodoro, Bay, Rotella and authors more linked to the territory, but of international importance such as Stefanoni, Vitali, Chiappori. Palazzo Paure also hosts temporary exhibitions of painting and photography of notable appeal and historical-artistic importance. On the third floor there is the Lecchese Alpine Observatory.
- The Visconti Tower, forming part of the fourteenth-century city walls, mostly demolished in the eighteenth century, it houses a beautiful exhibition space for temporary exhibitions of the city of Lecco
