Villa Maria

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The Documentation Center for Performing Arts

A center dedicated to the study of performing arts

Part of the system of facilities under the Labronica Library, Villa Maria and the Documentation Center on Performing Arts represent the cultural reference point of the city of Livorno for the preservation and study of the performing arts. Inaugurated in 2018, the structure is an invaluable resource for researchers, students, and enthusiasts who wish to consult the materials, documents, and testimonies preserved: screenplays, photos, biographies, volumes, videos, and everything related to the world of cinema and theater, both local and beyond. The center offers various initiatives, including conferences, screenings, recitals, performances, and, in particular, two highly beloved film festivals by Livorno cinephiles: “La Bella Estate – i mestieri del cinema” and the “FIPILI Horror Festival”.

Villa Maria structure

The Documentation Center on Performing Arts is located at Villa Maria, an elegant 18th-century villa reopened in 2013 after thorough restoration. Built by the Florentine marquises Capponi, over the years it has undergone transformations and changes of ownership, until it ended up in the hands of the Lazzara family, who donated it, along with the surrounding park, to the Municipality of Livorno in 1962.

The main entrance, characterized by a towered door called the “Castelletto,” opens onto a tree-lined avenue that leads to the ancient dwelling. The three floors of the villa, accessed through a porch with pillars and arches, are topped by a tall tower that rises on the northern side. The park, which still includes an octagonal structure formerly used as a changing room for a now abandoned tennis court, still preserves the pine trees planted to commemorate the birth of the three Lazzara children.

Useful informations

Who:

Alone, Children and families, Groups, In pairs, With friends
When:

Autumn, Spring, Summer, Winter
What:

See learn and discover
Other characteristics

Indoors, Outdoors, Reachable by public transport, Without reservation