The Villa Frigerj is a 19th century mansion in Chieti. At the moment, the building is the seat of the Abruzzo National Archaeological Museum. Part of the grounds of the public park below, used to be part of the villa.
Villa Frigerj Chieti
Useful information
Address: Via Guido Costanzi, 2, 66100 Chieti. Phone: +39 0871 404392. Opening times museum: From Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 till 19:30. Closed: Mondays. Ticket price: 4 Euros (discount, 2 Euros). (Note that prices and times may be subject to change.)
History and description
The Villa Frigerj was designed around 1823, by the architect Enrico Riccio. The building was constructed for Ferrante Frigerj. The architectural style is neo-classical.
It is a huge mansion built on agricultural land that was property of the Frigerj family, who had arrived in Abruzzo with the mercenary soldiers of Charles V.
The neo-classical impression is reinforced by the temple crowning the entire structure.
It had been Frigerj’s intention to use the place for the art collection he had acquired during his travels. The walls contain several niches where statues were meant to be placed and the interior is graced with multiple Doric columns, most notably at the foot of the double staircase to the piano nobile.
When Frigerj died, the building had not yet been finished. His heirs sold it to the city of Chieti, who then sold most of its contents to make up for the expenses.
Initially, the grounds were used by the Agricultural Institute, and later by the Technical Institute for Geometry. In 1959, it was transformed into the National Archaeological Museum of Abruzzo. The last restoration took place in the 1990s.
The former grounds of the Villa Frigerj, together with those of the adjacent Villa Nolli, have been transformed into the Villa Comunale public park.