Villa À Vendre À Griante, Cadenabbia

Griante, Lake Como: a home in the heart of history. There are places that aren’t just bought: they’re preserved. This private residence is located in the grounds of Villa Maria, one of Lake Como’s most celebrated estates. It was built between 1889 and 1892 for the American entrepreneur Martin Clerc, a traveler and collector of rare plants. The interiors and grounds are by sculptor and set designer Ludovico Pogliaghi. A greenhouse that is a work of art The heart of the house is a large Art Nouveau iron and glass greenhouse. It is faithfully reconstructed based on the model awarded at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair, where the botanical species collected by Clerc on his travels once grew. Today, light streams in through a glass wall over eight meters high. Among palm trees, sculptures, and a grand piano, the gaze reaches all the way to the fresco of the lake painted on the back wall. Living between art and architecture Built in 1901 and restored between 1985 and 1990 with the authorization of the Superintendency of Historical and Artistic Heritage, the villa is entirely on a single level. It comprises: two living rooms, a formal dining room, and a living room opening onto the conservatory; a billiard room with a vaulted ceiling; a spacious kitchen, and four bedrooms, including two master suites in a private wing. Each room is furnished with antiques, oriental rugs, large-format paintings, and sculptures, carefully selected from the finest antique dealers. A park to experience every day The private park measures approximately 10,000 m and is completely flat, a rarity on this side of the lake. At its center is an oval fountain, powered by a bronze crocodile. The private park extends into the 3-hectare shared park of Villa Maria, among centuries-old trees, all the way to the lakeshore. The co-owners have access to a 20-meter swimming pool, a tennis court, and a bocce court. A village written in history Griante sits on a wide plateau overlooking Bellagio, with the Grigne mountains in the background. Here, Giuseppe Verdi composed arias from La Traviata, Stendhal set pages from the Certosa di Parma, and Longfellow wrote poems dedicated to the town. Queen Victoria, Tsar Nicholas II, and Konrad Adenauer also stayed here. The property overlooks the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie di San Martino. Lugano is less than 30 minutes away, and St. Moritz is about 90 minutes away. A home for those seeking not just a house, but a legacy to live by. Private visits, by appointment only.