Overlooking the bend of the Bisatto canal, near the Bridge of Grace, Villa Basadonna Manin Zillo is one of the most elegant historical residences in Este. It stands on an ancient medieval fortification that defended the city gate of San Martino and, between the 18th and 19th centuries, it was transformed into a Venetian villa due to the arrival of the lagoon nobility, attracted by the possibility of reaching the city by water.
The property has changed hands over time from the Basadonna family to the Morosinis and then to the Manins, the last doges of Venice, and by the end of the 18th century, it presented its current appearance: a barn facing the canal, service buildings, a garden, and a representative area. With the fall of the Serenissima and the end of the privileged navigation of the Bisatto, the villa lost its direct contact with the water and became a refined urban residence.
The complex is notable for the harmony between architecture and landscape: the garden, now lush and scenic, envelops the villa with centuries-old trees and a perfectly preserved access avenue. The monumental entrance, with its 19th-century gate and marble statues, leads into a highly evocative environment.
An example of a Venetian villa from the 16th to 17th centuries adapted to the Este context, the complex retains a strong aristocratic character and a balance between architectural sobriety and natural landscape. Even today, just from the outside, it tells the profound link between Este and Venetian civilization along the Bisatto.
