Villa Vecchia

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Villa Vecchia - print of 1620 - Matteo Greuter
Villa Vecchia - print of 1620 - Matteo Greuter

Villa Vecchia is a patrician villa near Frascati, Italy, in the territory of the commune of Monte Porzio Catone. In the villa's garden there is a long stretch of a well kept Roman road.

"Villa Vecchia" was founded in 1560 by the cardinal Giovanni Ricci of Montepulciano. In 1562 the villa sold to the Cardinal Ranuccio Farnese, it was the first residence in Frascati by the Farnese family, with the name Villa Tusculana, and was restored by Vignola for the occasion. Pope Gregory XIII used it as summer residence.

The villa was damaged by air attacks in the Second World War (1943-1944) because it was used as German military depot.

The villa now houses a hotel and restaurant.