Villa Magherini Graziani (Celalba)

Villa Magherini Graziani at Celalba is an early-seventeenth-century residence overlooking the upper Tiber valley. Its loggias, tower and enclosed garden preserve the ambitions of the Graziani family.

Why it matters

The villa connects aristocratic residence with the history of its surrounding landscape. Its rooms house the museum devoted to archaeological research at the nearby site associated with Pliny the Younger.

What to notice

The principal facade has a three-arched loggia, pilasters and horizontal stone bands. A tower rises above the main block. The vaulted carriage gallery records the organisation of the household, while the walled grounds include terraces and an Italian garden.

Context and history

Carlo Graziani commissioned Antonio Cantagallina to build the residence in the early 1600s on the site of an older fortification. The chapel of Santa Maria Lauretana followed in 1622. The municipality acquired the estate in 1982. Later restoration and museum use gave the villa a new cultural role without making it the location of Pliny’s ancient residence.