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Posted on Tuesday, 18 May 2010 |
 Why is a villa not a house? To define what makes a villa, a villa you have to look back to the very origin of the word and, while we tend to think of villas as sprawling modern affairs, they have been with us for longer than you might at first imagine.
The word villa is thought to derive from a Latin word indicating a group of houses. This became used as a way of describing well-to-do country homes made up of more than one building but owned by the same person. It indicated a large home more often owned by wealthy land owners who could afford multiple dwellings and indeed needed then for their staff and workers.
The notion was thoroughly adopted by the Romans and references to luxurious villas crops up in surviving literature from the era not to mention the remaining structures themselves. Wealthy Romans often built fabulous second homes as holiday retreats as a way of displaying their wealth and, more importantly, their influence. They chose to build multiple low lying structures resplendent with colonnades, balconies, elaborate gardens, fountains, sculptures and artistic follies to amuse.
These ancient holiday homes were often single storey to avail of beautiful views and sprawling along a sumptuous landscapes, more often elevated and with a sea view. Favourite places included Tivoli not far from Rome and the beautiful Bay of Naples. One of the most famous examples is Hadrian's villa, built in Tivoli for the Roman Emperor Hadrian and occupying an entire square mile comprising of baths, outdoor dining areas, pavilions and private suites. This villa had a total of 30 buildings and many works of art.
The villa concept was embraced further by the Italians during the Renaissance when the most acceptable displays, if not the only acceptable display of wealth were through architecture and as patrons of the arts, which required display in suitably sumptuous surrounds.
We tend to continue to associate villas with the seaside and as low sprawling properties as you might find on a beach front in Miami and this is not an entirely inaccurate perception as that is how the villa concept originated.
It has extended however to encompass any luxurious residence built with the purpose of pleasure in mind. Villas, as you would find in the quiet enclaves of the South of France's exclusive St Jean Cap Ferrat or in the surrounds of Cannes, have the sea view and elaborate gardens but they can rise to 2, 3 or even 4 storeys high with the prerequisite staff quarters housed within the footprint of the building.
So when is a villa a villa and not a house it seems that it must have a view, preferably of the sea, it must be large and elaborate but above all it should be built for the purpose of pleasure, if our Roman cousins are to be followed. I think that's a definition we should be happy to live with.
Riviera Rental Guide has a selection of villas and holiday rentals across the French and Italian Riviera's. We would be delighted to invite you to Browse through our own luxurious holiday villas to see if there is something that suits you and your family. Or please contact a local agent who will help you find the perfect holiday accommodation for your budget and style. |
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 Recommended Holiday Rental:
Self catering holiday rental villa
Bedrooms: 6; Sleeps: 12
Price p/n: €2,133.25 |
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Bedrooms: 1
