Villa Valmarana ai Nani. Villa Valmarana ai Nani is a Venetian villa located on the outskirts of the city of Vicenza, on the slopes of the San Bastian hill, an offshoot of the nearby Monte Berico.
The villa is famous for the extraordinary cycle of frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo and his son Giandomenico. The nickname ai Nani, with which it is known, to differentiate it from the other villas of the same family, is due to the 17 stone sculptures representing the dwarves, once scattered in the park, then lined up on the surrounding wall.
The villa, despite being inhabited by the noble Valmarana family, is open to the public six days a week, like the nearby Villa Capra called La Rotonda by Palladio, owned by another branch of the Valmarana family. In fact, the driveway leading to the villa continues eastwards along the unpaved road that leads to the Rotonda, a few hundred meters away.
The enclosure of Villa Valmarana with the sculptures of the characteristic dwarves. The first building, the residential one, commissioned by Giovanni Maria Bertolo, was completed in 1670.
During the following years the structure were placed side barn, a guest house, a barn and several other buildings, typical of the Venetian villas however, the hilly location and the interests of the owners mean that this villa is characterized more as a residence than as an agricultural production center. In 1720 the property was sold to th