Villa Matarazzo

Villa Matarazzo is a nineteenth-century residence on the seafront of Santa Maria di Castellabate. Its grounds and cultural history are associated with the Matarazzo family and with the Cilento national park's institutions in the coastal town.

Why it matters

The villa is associated with the park's Centro di Promozione Riserve Marine e del Paesaggio Mediterraneo. A pavilion in the grounds houses the Museo del Paesaggio e della Natura, inaugurated in 2021. The property also connects the town with the history of Francesco Matarazzo, born in Castellabate in 1854, who emigrated to Brazil in 1881 and built a major industrial group in São Paulo.

What to notice

The villa's setting links the Santa Maria seafront with its landscaped grounds. The museum's exhibition presents the natural environments of the protected area, from coastal dunes to karst landscapes. A 2024 agreement between the municipality and the park authority provided for an events arena in part of the garden, extending the site's cultural role.

Context and history

The residence is documented as a nineteenth-century villa among the notable properties of Santa Maria di Castellabate. The Matarazzo name recalls Francesco Matarazzo's migration and industrial career: after arriving in Brazil, he began again with a small grocery business and later built the Indústrias Reunidas Fábricas Matarazzo. The villa subsequently became associated with the national park's coastal cultural work.