Albizzate www.albizzate.com

Placed on the right bank of the brook Arno among green hills that lower to the plain, it is today an industrious town, seat of one of the most renowned Italian companies in the furniture industry, the 'Rossi di Albizzate'.

It is a small town of ancient origin as the finding of a votive altar and the Latin name of Villa Albuciatis prove. In a document dated 997, Ottone III made over Villa Albizati to the Count of Angera. In 1142 it was granted to Ottone Visconti and later to Gaspare Visconti, from which the branch of Visconti di Albizzate had to be formed. Until XVII century the Visconti di Albizzate were the feudal lords.

To see:

- San Venanzio's Oratory, or Visconti's Oratory, built in the middle of 1300s and frescoed with paintings about San Ludovico di Tolosa's and San Giovanni Battista's lives.

- Visconti Castle, placed on the edge of the Arno valley and changed in manor house in the 17th century.

- the four-sided 17th century Villa Taverna, and the view on the Arno valley

- Santuario della Purificazione di Maria, at Valdarno, that was an ancient rural church

Visconti's Oratory