Villa Profilo – Monopoli

Description

Villa Profilo is located on a hill in the residential area of Cozzana, some 6 km North-East of Monopoli and its coastline. The residence was built in 1905 in an eclectic Hellenistic style inspired by the 16^th century model by Palladium. Elements typical of this include the jutting pronaos on pilasters and Ionic columns; the drawing room balcony with double windows and balustrades on the piano nobile; the little tower on polygonal base and the double ramp of stairs.

The double order façade is embellished with light plasterwork decorations between the windows with architraves, corner decorations, Corinthian capitals and cornices with curves and dentils. The layout of the gardens demonstrates the intention to move beyond rigid outlines, with intimate spaces created amidst the paths that wind through a charming landscape of pine, olive and almond trees.

Cazzato comments on the frescoed walls and ceilings in Paesaggi e sistema di ville nel Salento (Galatina, 2006), "The work on the lunettes and cloister vaults of Villa Profilo was entrusted in the early 1900s to Cosimo Reho, artist from Monopoli, who created watercolour and paper decorations of sober and refined taste: still-life medallions, floral wreaths, fruit festoons and lunettes with seascapes, agricultural landscapes and scenes from legend”. These have been restored and partially repainted by Pippo Patruno, another artist from Monopoli who was also responsible for the restoration of the Basilica di Santa Croce in Lecce, among other work.

Position on map