Residence Inside an 18th-Century Italian Villa Once Said to Host Napoleon

In the Lombard village of Verderio, around 35 kilometres (22 miles) northeast of Milan, Villa Gnecchi Ruscone stands as one of Brianza’s most refined examples of 18th-century noble architecture. It sits in the Brianza area of Lecco province, part of the greater Milan–Como–Lecco triangle—an area long favoured for its historic villas, silk-industry estates, and proximity to both the lakes and Milan’s business districts.

Originally belonging to the Gnecchi Ruscone family—influential Milanese silk industrialists and patrons of the arts—the villa served as their country retreat, complete with Italian-style gardens and frescoed salons. Later restored under architect Fausto Bagatti Valsecchi, it exemplifies the measured harmony of Lombardy’s neoclassical villas: grand façades opening onto formal parterres and tree-lined avenues.

Historical records note that the estate was briefly occupied by French troops during the Napoleonic campaigns, and local tradition holds that it may even have hosted Napoleon himself in the ballroom—a detail unverified, but one that enriches the property’s layered past.

Renovated in the 1980s into a series of residences and now managed as a condominium, the noble-floor residence encompassing the piano nobile of the right wing is currently on the market for €1,100,000, listed with Italy Sotheby’s International Realty.

Spanning 340 square metres (3,660 sq ft), the apartment includes four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Two grand salons anchor the home, preserved with original parquet floors, coffered ceilings, a monumental 18th-century fireplace, and an opulent Murano chandelier suspended above a gold-embroidered tapestry.

Former parlors and reading rooms have been adapted into private quarters, blending 18th-century craftsmanship with contemporary functionality. From the salons, residents have access to the villa’s shared grand ballroom, once the setting for receptions and celebrations, still available for private use.

Set within 12,000 square metres (three acres) of landscaped parkland, the estate retains its historic rhythm of symmetry and leisure—with a swimming pool, tennis court, and manicured gardens framed by mature trees. Managed as a condominium, the property offers the privacy of independent ownership with the stewardship of a collectively maintained heritage estate.

Few properties in Lombardy combine this level of historic distinction with modern convenience. At €1.1 million, the residence offers a rare opportunity to own part of a grand 18th-century villa—complete with shared gardens, amenities, and the practicality of a well-run condominium structure that makes ownership in a property of this scale remarkably accessible.

All photos courtesy of the listing agency.