Dr. Cassetta, a geographer and tourist guide, spoke to classes 2B and 2A about three famous villas along the Brenta River in Italy - Villa Pisani, Villa Malcontenta, and Villa Seriman-Widmann. He described Villa Pisani as the most beautiful villa, noting its architects and past use by wealthy families for relaxation. Villa Malcontenta was designed by Palladio for the Foscari brothers in 1559 and served as both a country residence reachable by boat from Venice and a farm. The class discussed the villas further, with some students giving opinions on which was most hidden or complicated.

2. May 23, 2017
Our class, 2B, and 2A, within the e-twinning project "Sharing our worlds and heritage", met with
Dr. Cassetta, who is the owner of “PADOVA ORIGINALE” (a collection of touristic suggestions).
He is a geographer who has decided to study mainly our territory. He is also a journalist and a tourist guide.
Since he is a guide, he can illustrate our Venetian Villas to tourists. He thinks that the most famous villas on
the brenta Riviera are three: Villa Pisani, Villa Malcontenta and Villa Seriman-Widmann.
First, Mr. Casetta, started talking about Villa Pisani, the most beautiful villa in Riviera of Brenta. He talked
that a part was built by the best eighteenth-century architect, Gerolamo Frigimelica but few months later
they changed architect because the
costs were too high and so the
construction continued with another
one called Francesco Maria Preti to
which attribute the biggest part
manufactured of villa Pisani. Mr.
Cassetta also said that in the past, rich
men used to use the villa like a place
where they could relax and where they
rode their horses around the garden in
which is situated a long and narrow
swimming pool. After that, before to
pass to villa Malcontenta, he said that
the name "Pisani" was taken by the surname of the first family who lived here and finally he issued an
opinion: “I think that villa Pisani is the best one for beauty, not for others features!".
Another villa about we learnt was Villa Malcontenta which designed by Palladio for the brothers Nicolò and Alvise
Foscari around the 1559.
More than a villa used for farming purposes, this was a suburban residence that could easily be reached by boat
from the centre of Venice. The family of its patron was one of the most powerful families of the city.
The villa sees the coexistence of motifs that recall the building traditions of the Lagoon while also evoking ancient
architecture like in Venice and the main façade is turned to the water.

3. Why has the called ‘Malcontenta’?
Because it makes reference to the waters ‘malcontenute’. ‘Malcontenute means ….’
The bridges along Riviera del Brenta are lots but
there are some special bridges that they are
movable. There are ten movable bridges and five
"conche". "Conche" are a piece of river where
there is a big difference in height. They serve to
pass the ships. In the first time, they increase the
level of water, the ship enter in the conca and they
lower the level of water and they exit from the
conca.
There are three tipes of movable bridges: lift
bridge, rotatable and retractable. For example, one
movable bridge is in Mira. It is a rotatable brigde.
Riviera del Brenta starts in Porto del Portello in Padua. This porto is a door situated in the old walls of
Padua and it’s for make way people, goods that have to arrive in Venice or Chioggia. Instead, Riviera del
Brenta ends up in a famous square, her name is San Marco square in Venice.

4. Then, we did some questions:
1) Which is the most beautiful villa?
I think it is Villa Pisani in Stra.
2) Which is the most hidden villa?
It’s Barchessa Valmarana in Mira.
3) Which is the most complicated villa?
It’s Villa Pisani.
4) There were and are secret passages?
No, there weren’t and aren’t. But There is a big labyrinth in Villa Pisani.
By
Carraro Eleonora, Ceccato Anna,
Tudorancea Giulia, Bacchin Elia, Baldan Giacomo,
Sorato Carolina, Monetti Simone and Rampazzo Matteo.