From a farm homestead to a villa
The villa complex and garden took shape in the 1920s and 1930s under the supervision of Max Fabiani. It is the most important park complex in Slovenia from the interwar period. The owner of the whole complex was Enrico Ferrari, a doctor from Trieste and Max Fabiani’s nephew. The transformation from a farm homestead into a villa was a conceptual innovation in European architecture.
The park side of the houses is arranged as a rural villa with a park. The garden itself is composed of several terraces, which are influenced by the architectural style of the buildings of Štanjel, and it blends in well with the surrounding landscape. Besides vegetable and flower beds, various plants and trees, pergolas, a bowling green, a scenic overlook and a pavilion, the main characteristic of the garden is a pool which was filled from a purpose-built water supply. Rainwater was collected from the hill in Štanjel.
The villa and park have their own entrances in the form of a path, which encircles the hill of Štanjel and ends with wrought iron gates embossed with the personalised logo of the owner. From the Ferrari Garden and the circular path, the visitor has beautiful views of the Branica Valley. Recently, the park has become a popular place for lovers, and wedding ceremonies sometimes take place on the Venetian Bridge.
