Photo: Hometecno architecture firm
Photo: Hometecno architecture firm
Photo: Hometecno architecture firm
Photo: Hometecno architecture firm
Casa Houck, formerly Della Croce
1580 ca.
Dating from the second half of the 16th century and now home to the Fondazione Maurits Ernest Houck, the building was once the residence of the Della Croce family.
The building has a trapezoidal plan with an inner courtyard. The ground-floor hall features a monumental fireplace in Arzo marble, with a hood decorated with stucco work. The frescoes on the walls, completed by 1581, are the work of the Pozzi brothers from Puria di Valsolda. The first-floor hall, whose walls are also richly frescoed, contains a fireplace with a hood bearing the painted coat of arms of the Farnese family and the initials of Pope Paul III.
This hall is considered one of the finest, if not the finest, known examples in the Mendrisiotto region.
Visiting hours
- Saturday October 24th
14:00 – 15:00
Guided tour by Laura Damiani Cabrini
Registration is mandatoryFull tour, no more places available - Saturday October 24th
15:00 – 16:00
Guided tour by Laura Damiani Cabrini
Registration is mandatoryFull tour, no more places available - Saturday October 24th
16:00 – 17:00
Guided tour by Laura Damiani Cabrini
Registration is mandatoryFull tour, no more places available
Guided tour with Laura Damiani Cabrini, as part of a joint tour with the Tempio di Santa Croce.
Limitations
Not accessible to people with reduced mobility
No high-heeled shoes
Address
Piazza Valleggio
6826 Riva San Vitale
Public transportation
From Capolago railway station:
Bus no. 531 towards Mendrisio, OSC; get off at Riva S. Vitale, Battistero, followed by an approximately 4-minute walk (270 m).
Bus no. 532 towards Porto Ceresio, Stazione; get off at Riva S. Vitale, Scuola Media, followed by an approximately 4-minute walk (290 m).
