Dear readers,
As Daniela Uslan, I’m thrilled to share with you the captivating story of Villa Fontanelle, a gem nestled on the shores of Lake Como. This magnificent mansion has a rich history and has hosted numerous celebrities, including the beloved Princess Diana.
Built in the 19th century, Villa Fontanelle was originally owned by Lord Charles Curzon, Viceroy of India. In 1977, it was acquired by fashion icon Gianni Versace, who meticulously restored the property to its former glory.
Some fascinating facts about Villa Fontanelle:
- Sprawling over 4 acres of lush gardens
- Features a private dock and boat house
- Boasts 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms
- Decorated with priceless artworks and antiques
Princess Diana was a frequent guest, finding solace in its serene surroundings. The villa’s neoclassical architecture and breathtaking views make it a true masterpiece.
Today, Villa Fontanelle stands as a testament to luxury and history, inviting us to explore its secrets and bask in its timeless elegance..
Among the most beautiful villas on Lake Como, in an exceptional setting as Moltrasio, Villa Fontanelle (or Fontanelle Palace) is famous for its history and secrets, which it jealously guards. The name, for those who know the life of Gianni Versace through his homes, is not new: this four-story building has hosted some of the most prominent stars, but not only. For it was here that the beloved and late lamented Lady Diana, who struck up a friendship with Versace that lasted until the designer’s death. We take you to Villa Fontanelle, among its corridors and neoclassical aristocratic style.
The style of Villa Fontanelle
The Lake Como is a favorite haunt of Hollywood stars for a reason: breathtaking scenery and picture-postcard villas. Villa Fontanelle is no exception: we are in Moltrasio, about 50 km from Milan, and immediately, looking at the four-story yellow building, we are captivated by the context in which the palace is located. Built in the first half of the 19th century, its founder was Lord Charles Currie, an Englishman who is remembered for his eccentricity and great love for Lake Como. Like so many, after all, the Lord was astounded by the area, so much so that he wanted to live here. But instead of buying a house for sale, he eventually decided to make a building: what is now Villa Fontanelle.
He didn’t want just any villa, he didn’t want to settle, and, most importantly, he dreamed of it on the edge of the lake: this is his great characteristic (and fortune). After Lord Charles Currie, Palazzo Fontanelle passed first to Antonio Besana, friend of Giuseppe Verdi, and was later purchased by Gianni Versace in 1977. And it was during this period that the Villa became the destination of choice for stars, VIPs and royal friends of Versace, including Lady Diana.
The restoration by Gianni Versace
When Gianni Versace purchased Villa Fontanelle, it was in a state of extreme neglect. However, it was the designer himself who fully understood the potential of that building and that setting, which was as magical as it was lush: he was the one who restored it and brought it back to its former glory, initiating a renovation project. Purchased in 1977, work went on for three years, until December 1980, when three acres were finally added, the ornamental gardens, three cottage, a tennis court and a private mooring. The designer’s goal was quite clear: to have a place where he could rest, enjoy himself, and allow his distinguished guests to benefit from the beauty of Lake Como.
These were the words of the designer, who had fallen madly in love with the building: “The world is so full of art, of beautiful things that I don’t know. My home on Lake Como, for example. I had fallen in love with Como by going there to buy silks for collections. At some point I decided: I’m going to buy my own house. I found a nice house, very big, nineteenth-century. Of the nineteenth century I knew nothing. And I threw myself into it.”
Beyond the renovation itself, the expansion and additions (which increased the value of the Villa), Versace chose to enrich the interior and exterior with “hundreds of oil paintings and works of art.” And that is why this choice of his is remembered today for being a “personal sanctuary.” A mini-palace all for him, for the art he loved and for those who loved and esteemed him: “If I could I would do nothing but buy paintings, and statues, and fine objects. I love fine art things, I like sumptuous surroundings.”
The distinguished guests of Villa Fontanelle
About the distinguished guests who have stayed at Villa Fontanelle, before the designer’s death at the hands of Andrew Cunanan, which occurred on the morning of July 15, 1997 in Miami, here celebrities were at home. Starting with Sir Elton John until Sting, Madonna o Prince. All of them were “regular” guests of the Villa, but not only. They were often joined by the late Princess of Wales, Lady Diana Spencer, who enjoyed a sincere friendship with the designer. Two people born in two very different parts of the world-Diana in Norfolk, Versace in Reggio Calabria. To this day, however, they are remembered for their harmony, professional relationship and friendship.
Villa Fontanelle after the death of Gianni Versace.
Gianni Versace tended Villa Fontanelle until the end, a property that remained in the hands of the family for a long time even after the murder of the designer. For it was here, in fact, that the urn with Gianni’s ashes found rest. Originally, in the tomb in the Villa’s garden, which had been tended by the English art historian and gardener Roy Strong. Later, the ashes were moved to Moltrasio Cemetery.
Jennifer Lopez and Chris Judd’s honeymoon location.
It never returned to a state of disrepair like the one immediately prior to Gianni Versace’s purchase, but Villa Fontanelle remained uninhabited for a long time, truth be told. An exception occurred for Jennifer Lopez and her then-husband Chris Judd: here they spent their honeymoon in 2001.
Villa Fontanelle today
Undoubtedly Villa Fontanelle has a more recent past than the other buildings on Lake Como.: think of Villa Monastero, an architectural jewel whose roots go back as far as nine centuries, or even Villa Passalacqua, which was built in the 1700s. Yet, probably by virtue of the fact that over the years it has been known as “Villa Versace,” it has become famous and renowned throughout the world. Thus, in 2005, eight years after Gianni Versace’s death, the Villa’s furniture and furnishings went up for auction and, finally, the bare property was put up for sale. Rumors and indiscretions followed one another until the actual sale of the Villa, which took place for 35 million euros.
The neoclassical house overlooking the moltrasina shore of Lake Como, which had had its doors and windows closed for years now, is now owned by Moscow-based real estate developer Arkady Novikov. Who, in order to win it, raised the purchase offer by 3.8 million to a total of 35 million.
