The villa is located at the beginning of the historic tree-lined avenue of Cart, in an area subject to environmental protection that has preserved, despite road widening works, the original rural context. A significant real estate development, however, has affected the plains to the west for several decades, including the locality of Anconetta.
An inscription would indicate 1794 as the date of construction of the current building. Always belonging to the Bonsembiante family, in the 19th century it was home to Carlo, a former vice president of the Chamber of Commerce of Belluno and a well-known trader, who likely had the present oratory added to the complex, mentioned for the first time in the acts of pastoral visits in 1884. In 1876, the adjacent road was widened, bringing it close to the villa.
The complex consists of three distinct buildings: the one to the south, which shows signs of expansions, is the main residence; to the north stands the building for the outbuildings, oriented east-west. To the west, finally, emerges the atypical volume of the oratory. Access to the complex was from the northern countryside, through a small gate that opens onto the surrounding wall, as well as from the road, where, beyond the main entrance, a staircase led to the garden.
The current villa is the result of heavy renovations carried out in the 19th century. The main body lacks particular features, except for the painted stringcourses and corner decorations. It does not have a true façade, but modest entrances open onto the three main fronts. The one facing south, visible from the side and characterized by a sloping front towards the east, is enhanced by two slender terraces protected by jutting roofs.
More interesting is the building containing the oratory: it develops over three floors, with a gabled façade where a double order of loggia opens, marked by simplified Tuscan columns. On the ground floor, which is underground, there was the vat room, above it the oratory with the apse facing west, and in the attic, a veranda. The interior is decorated with faux wallpaper motifs on the walls, while statues adorn the altar and the side portico.
Externally, the wall surfaces are treated with a false ashlar facade, while on the remaining fronts the diamond pattern decoration is painted. The garden that was located west of the villa is currently reduced to lawn, but the remains of a table, perhaps originally connected to a pergola, still survive.
The complex is currently inhabited by members of the Bonsembiante family.
If the main body has been practically untouched in recent decades, the body of the outbuildings, as agricultural activities that once took place there have ceased, has been partially recently transformed into a residence, while the portico of the barn remains as a significant example of rural architecture.
The constant attention of the owners, who periodically promote maintenance interventions, ensures a good state of conservation for this 19th-century complex.
The oratory and the villa will be open for visits throughout the year on Mondays, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM.
To visit the property on other days of the week, it is advisable to arrange an appointment via email at feltrino@dolomitiprealpi.it or by phone at 0439 2540.
