Villa Zanelli

Villa Zanelli was built in 1907 in Liberty style in Savona. It was commissioned by Nicolò Zanelli to the architects Pietro Fenoglio and Gottardo Gussoni as a summer residence and dedicated to his girlfriend Rosa. The villa is located in via Nizza 71 in Savona.

The Savona artist Leonardo Ercolano on the occasion of the award ceremony of the "Italian Liberty" photo contest held at the Corallo hotel in Riccione created a terracotta depicting Villa Zanelli in Savona. Only two copies exist, the cast was destroyed.

In 2015 the Facebook page "The World Art Nouveau" published a photo of Villa Zanelli in a state of decay. In ten minutes the post goes viral reaching about 500,000 people considering the page's only two thousand followers, unleashing the ire of the public with comments.

All the front pages of the regional newspapers talked about it, up to the news, raising interest in the public good. Andrea Speziali proposes a fundraiser for the restoration organized by the Italia Liberty association. The community becomes active. 

In the meantime Speziali opens a purchase negotiation as mediator between a private collector and the property of the property, Liguria Region. In exchange he exchanges a work of art.

The intervention contemplates the redevelopment of the park with botanical interventions and the arrangement and recovery of the external areas and paths. The two small existing service volumes, leaning against the boundary wall towards the beach, will be partially recovered.

the Art Nouveau in Liguria as well as the example of Villa Zanelli in Savona is also located in Alassio with Villa Massara and Villa Il Mare that can be seen in postcard. We immediately recognize the Fenoglio style to which we also attribute Villa Il Mare, now demolished.

The most beautiful and romantic point in Savona is certainly the turret of Villa Zanelli which sees the whole panorama of the city. It was once the office of the USL director.

The villa in the period of abandonment was the scene of an extraordinary opening to the public with a guided tour organized by the Italia Liberty association. To register for guided tours on Liberty in Savona, contact Italia Liberty.

The work was attributed to De Carolis, even if there are no clear traces of the fresco in its total splendor.

About twenty years have passed since Villa Zanelli closed its doors, until 2022 when it reopened after a meticulous restoration. Striscia La Notizia also dealt with it in 2012 where the correspondent Brumotti denounced the deterioration. Today a new chapter opens.

Always the Italia Liberty association which in the spirit of Art. 9 of the Constitution monitors, protects and disseminates the Art Nouveau heritage rewards the Region and the Municipality for their excellent work.