Villa Wolkonsky

The villa Wolkonsky in Rome is the official residence of the British Ambassador in Italy. The villa with its approximately 4.5 -acre park is located on the Esquiline, near the Lateran Basilica. From 1922 to 1943 the German Embassy here had their headquarters

History

Located in the southeast of the city, yet within the Aurelian Walls Villa comprises parts of a built under Nero aqueduct, which forms a branch of the Aqua Claudia. The area was then used until the early 19th century agricultural purposes. Princess Zenaide Wolkonsky Alexandrovna, daughter of a Russian diplomat, acquired the land in 1830. The princess grew up in Turin, where her father was an ambassador. She lived from 1820 to 1822 in Rome, and then returned in 1829 with her family in the Eternal City back. Wolkonsky commissioned architect Giovanni Azzurri with the construction of a villa, was put on the adjoining park and restore the running there part of the aqueduct. Your villa soon became a renowned literary salon, which was attended among others by Karl Brullow, Alexander Ivanov, Bertel Thorvaldsen, Gaetano Donizetti, Stendhal, Sir Walter Scott and Nikolai Gogol. Princess Wolkonsky used the villa as a country residence mainly because they still possessed in downtown over other apartments. After Zenaide Wolkonskys death in 1862 her son Alexander inherited the villa, then they went to Marchesa Nadia Campanari over, a granddaughter of Alexander Wolkonskys. The Campanari family built south of the original villa is a new building which was rented in the further course. End of the 19th century lost the property due to the urban expansion of Rome much of its scenic beauty. 1922 sold the Campanaris Villa Wolkonsky to the German government, which set up its Embassy to the Kingdom of Italy and also the residence of the ambassador there. The main building and the old building was expanded, at the main entrance was another building. With the German occupation of Italy in September 1943, the embassy closed its diplomatic service. After the liberation of Rome, the Italian government confiscated the message that had been used during the occupation with its branch office in Via Tasso, among other things as a prison. Out of the estate of the missions of Switzerland and the Italian Red Cross has been left.

On 31 December 1946, the British Embassy at Porta Pia target of a terrorist attack of the Zionist underground Irgun Tzwa'i Le'umi. The Italian government provided then the British Embassy Villa Wolkonsky available, which was acquired in 1951 by the British government completely. End of the 1950s had carried out this extensive restoration work. 1971, the new building of the Chancellery at the Porta Pia could be obtained. The villa Wolkonsky has since served again as a residence of the British Ambassador. In addition, located on the premises and accommodation for the rest of the embassy staff. Due to the expansion of the property will be occupied or let by the Embassy for cultural events, seminars, workshops and the like. In the park, with around 200 different tree and plant species, the birthday of the British monarch is celebrated annually.