Liberty villas in Santa Marinella
Between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, after the sale of the area by the Santo Spirito Hospital to the Odescalchi family who began the subdivision, Santa Marinella established itself as an important seaside resort.
Some buildings of very interesting liberty villas date back to this period: villas that still stand out for their 'free' architectural forms, the sinuosity of their decorations and their colors.
These include Villa Bettina along the Via Aurelia, Villa Emanuele, designed by the engineer Umberto Emanuele, and the Villino Cerrano built with reinforced concrete by the architect Gino Smorti.
Villa Saracena, Villa Califfa and Villa Moresca
Villa Saracena is part of one of three villas designed in 1955 by the famous architect Luigi Moretti, the one who designed the famous Watergate Hotel in Washington.
The villa was commissioned by the journalist Francesco Malgieri for his daughter, princess Luciana Pignatelli.
The three villas are adjacent and took the name of La Saracena, Califfa and Moresca. For their style and complementarity of forms they represent an interesting example of modern architecture.
Villa Saracena and Moresca were constructed in the same period between 1955 and 1957 in an area between the sea and the Marconi seafront, named after the scientist who stayed here and met his wife. It is very long and narrow plot of land that has given birth to a particular shape: closed and locked off towards the road and open and sunny towards the sea with large windows that allow the landscape to enter inside.
The enameled and decorated tile flooring was created by the Neapolitan painter Grisotti.
Villa Califfa was later expanded in the 70s.
Villa Moresca has a slightly different history as despite being part of a project with a unitary style, it was built a few years later and the works were completed in 1981. It was to be the home of the architect Moretti who, however, would never see it completed because he died in 1973.
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