The Manor House
A journey through three centuries of aristocratic elegance.
A journey through three centuries of aristocratic elegance.
The villa's history begins in the late 17th century (1670-1690), built for the de Marchi family and later passed to the Ottelio house. Originally from Bassano and arriving in Udine in the 1500s, the Ottelio family were notaries, jurists, and eventually Counts (since 1703), blending bourgeois industriousness with aristocratic elegance.
This dual soul is reflected in the architecture: solid and functional like a Friulian house, yet elegant and airy like a Venetian villa. Here you will not find the ostentatious luxury of cold marble, but the noble warmth of antique terracotta, exposed beams, and stone that has endured for centuries.
The centerpiece of the manor is the central walkthrough hall. The interiors are a sequence of light and perspective. The more than 100 windows are not mere openings, but living frames overlooking the park and the Eastern Hills, ensuring a constant connection with nature in absolute silence, broken only by the breath of history.
It is a majestic space, ideal today as in the past for receptions, or as an artist's studio seeking inspiration. A unique detail will capture your guests' curiosity: the ancient floor hatches. Once used to lower grapes and wine directly into the 300 sqm "Cantinone" below, today they remain silent witnesses to a centuries-old winemaking tradition. All around, rooms scented with history, warmed by functioning fireplaces as well as radiators that invite conviviality on winter evenings.
Ascending to the upper floors, the sleeping area offers 4 bedrooms in the main body and 2 in the barchessa, where privacy is absolute. Waking up here means opening the windows onto a living painting. On one side, the protected internal courtyard; on the other, a view that stretches over the vineyards to the snow-capped mountains and, on clear days, to the shimmer of the sea on the horizon.
There is no urban noise, only the sounds of nature: birdsong, the rustle of the wind, and for those who know how to observe, the timid passage of hares, squirrels, and roe deer in the park. Knowing you are immersed in this absolute peace, just 10 minutes from the center of Udine, is the true privilege of Villa Ottelio.
The manor reveals its playful and strategic nature only to those who live it: you will discover hidden passages like the "Secret Staircase" in the Barchessa, concealed behind an unsuspecting door, or the "Library Door" in the main body, a small opening that once led to a musicians' gallery.
On the top floor lies a pearl of rare intimacy: an independent mini-apartment entirely paneled in wood, reminiscent of the charm of a luxury chalet but with the warmth of Friulian history. Paved in antique red terracotta, it features a full kitchen (induction, oven, dishwasher), living area, bedroom with wardrobe, and bathroom with tub.
It is the only room in the villa with windows on three sides: here the light enters from dawn to dusk. The privileged position allows for an unobstructed and boundless horizon, offering every morning the priceless spectacle of the sun rising over the vineyards. A perfect nest for a caretaker, a special guest, or as a private suite for the owner.
