Villino Puccini

The Puccini Villino in Viareggio was the composer's final residence and the place where he worked on Turandot before his death in 1924.

Why it matters

Unlike a house assembled as a memorial after its owner's death, the Villino preserves the setting of Puccini's last years. Its history also records the damage and recovery of the building after the Second World War.

What to notice

The house combines a portico, stained glass and domestic rooms associated with Puccini's life in Viareggio. War damage left the roof and much of the joinery destroyed, and looting further damaged the interior. The restored house preserves both its domestic character and the record of its later rescue.

Context and history

Puccini acquired a plot in Viareggio in 1915, and the house designed by Vincenzo Pilotti was completed in 1921. The composer lived there from December 1921 until travelling to Brussels for treatment in 1924. After his death the family remained in the house; it was badly damaged during the war and later rented. The Fondazione Giacomo Puccini obtained ownership in 2014 and undertook safety and restoration work.