‘The sun is not the brightest star in the sky if it is not alone’ – most of the noble Venetian families made their sumptuous homes on the Brenta Riviera, but with so many stars they blur each other out. In Valsanzibio there was only the Barbarigo family and for this reason their star was unrivalled and in the sky was the brightest.

The garden has over 350 years of history. It was built between 1665 and 1696 by one of the richest and most important families in Venice at the time, the Barbarigo family, as a thanks to God for sparing them from the plague of 1630/31.

The garden is designed around an allegorical journey, conveying to visitors the positive message of a life where difficulties are faced and where there is always a solution: a life where, every now and then, it is good to stop and meditate; a life where time is precious and must be lived intensely, with joy, waiting for eternity. 

The journey between Nature and Art has remained intact over the centuries, where the beauty drawn by Mother Nature blends in great harmony with the beauty crafted by human hand.

In this garden you will find a more than 400 years old Boxwood Labyrinth — likely to be the oldest one of its kind in the world — as well as one-of-a-kind boxwood hedge walls which reach up to 5 metres high. There are also trees between 300 and 900 years old and centuries-old specimens from four continents (Asia, America, Africa and Europe).

Our aim, like all the owners that over the centuries have been careful and conscientious custodians, is to protect and preserve this historic, artistic and botanical heritage. The Pizzoni Ardemani family, who have owned the estate since 1929, would like to thank visitors and companies who, by choosing to come to Valsanzibio, give concrete and precious help in the maintenance of this World Heritage site.