Home > Arts > Architecture > Building Types > Houses > Villas
Detached houses for the wealthy built in the country or on the fringes of towns. The Roman villa was the centre of a country estate. The Italian renaissance villa provided a country retreat for wealthy families to escape from the summer heat of their palaces in the cities. From the 18th century the English-speaking world used the term villa for a house without a large estate attached. This could be the chief residence of a middle-class family or a holiday home for a landed family with a country seat elsewhere.
http://www.thomas-hardy.connectfree.co.uk/
The Victorian villa which Thomas Hardy designed and built for himself in 1885. History, plan of the gardens, visits seminars and the Thomas Hardy Essay Competition.
http://www.yourwaytoflorence.com/tourism/florence/medvilla.htm
A photograph and description of each from Your Way to Florence.
http://www.castellodithiene.com/
The official site gives an illustrated history and virtual tour of this Italian Renaissance villa with frescos and ornate 18th-century stables. Visitor information.
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/shaws-corner
The National Trust describes this Edwardian villa in Hertfordshire, the home of George Bernard Shaw 1906-1950. History, photographs, biography of Shaw, news and events.
http://sights.seindal.dk/sight/456_Villa_Romana_del_Casale.html
An illustrated room-by-room description by René Seindal of the villa with the richest collection of late Roman mosaics. Includes bibliography, plan and more than 200 photographs.
http://www.tibursuperbum.it/eng/monumenti/villadeste/Villa.htm
About the villa in Italy designed by Pirro Ligorio, included in the UNESCO world heritage list. History, information and photos. Also contains information on the Villa Adriana.
http://www.villa-ephrussi.com/
Visit the historic home and landscaped gardens of an enlightened collector. History, collections, news, boutique, and opening times. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France.
http://www.paulahowarth.com/villa/
Paula J. Howarth tells the story of this villa built at the beginning of the 17th century by Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, with bibliography.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladian_Villas
An introduction to this cluster of works by Andrea Palladio and his students which are listed as a World Heritage site. The list of villas includes links to illustrated articles on specific villas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa
An illustrated definition and description of the various types of building which have been called villas from Roman to modern from the collaborative encyclopedia.
Home > Arts > Architecture > Building Types > Houses > Villas
Thanks to DMOZ, which built a great web directory for nearly two decades and freely shared it with the web. About us