Villino Ximenes

The small villa is one of the most elegant examples of Art Nouveau in Rome. It was the home-studio of the Palermitan sculptor Ettore Ximenes (1855-1926). Sold by the artist's heirs in the 1930s and masterfully restored in recent years, it is now home to a university guesthouse that grants permission to visit.

Designed in 1902 by the architect Baldizzi and Ernesto Basile, it owes its decoration to Ximenes himself. In its inspiration, the little villa draws on Palermo's Norman architecture, while echoes of the Viennese Secession can be seen in the marble decorations and the use of majolica, making it one of the most resonant expressions of Art Nouveau aesthetics. Inside, there are several frescoed rooms, including the ballroom and the splendid dining room, entirely covered in leather and stucco and still with its original Art Nouveau furniture.