Villa da Porto “La Favorita”

Villa da Porto, known as “La Favorita,” is a Venetian villa in Palladian style commissioned by Giovanni Battista da Porto in 1714-1715 and attributed to the architect Francesco Muttoni. It stands atop a high hill overlooking the entire plain of Monticello di Fara, a hamlet in the municipality of Sarego, in the province of Vicenza. The villa, commissioned by the nobleman Giovanni Battista da Porto, was built in just two years, between 1714 and 1715. The architectural complex is attributed to the architect Francesco Muttoni. The name “La Favorita” derives from an ancient toponym referring to the district of Monticello.

The author of the pictorial decoration, dating to 1717-1718, remains unknown.

In the early nineteenth century, the villa passed into the ownership of several Venetian families, including Balbi, Ziggiotti, and Manin, before returning to the Da Porto family at the end of the century. In 1947, after a period of decline, the villa was purchased by the parish of Monticello di Fara and converted into a church. The villa was later acquired by private owners who make it accessible to the public during certain events. Since 2012, the villa has served as the headquarters of the Parliament of Padania of the Lega Nord.