In the heart of the wide plateau that characterizes the hamlet of Montechiaro, in an area still untouched from a landscape perspective, stands a fascinating complex rich in history, art, and memory.
The main villa, probably built by Count Rodolfo Tortorelli in the early 17th century, represented the prosperity achieved by the Tortorelli family, whose founder was Antonio, a merchant active around the mid-16th century and the first member of the family to be admitted to the Bolognese nobility. The acquisition of vast lands in Montechiaro led the Tortorelli family to organize a large agricultural estate, building several farmhouses that still exist today, including La Quercia, Dependance Peschiera, Ca’ Vaglie, and the present-day Ca’ Palazzo Malvasia. The latter occupies a central position within the estate, open to the countryside and the magnificent panorama of the surrounding hills.
Far from the grandeur of many contemporary villas, the building was actually conceived as a country residence: a well-proportioned home designed to host the owner during summer retreats, while also allowing him to oversee the harvests and the management of the estate.
In 1636, the nobleman Francesco Ghisilardi Tortorelli, the last of his family line, named his nephew Count Ercole Malvasia — son of Elena Tortorelli and Petronio Malvasia — as heir to his entire fortune, including the Montechiaro estate. As a condition of the inheritance, he required Ercole to add the Tortorelli Ghisilardi surname to his own. Over time, the Malvasia family increased its wealth and prestige, also establishing itself in the trade of Malvasia wine throughout Northern Italy.
The first part of the building to be constructed was the 17th-century dovecote tower, recognizable by its elegant dentil cornice, from which the estate and the Reno Valley towards Bologna could be overlooked. Today, the tower houses a bedroom, offering guests a unique experience between history and landscape.
The first cadastral record of the property dates back to 1787, in the Boncompagni Cadastre, where the complex is listed as “Casino Tortorelli”.
During the Second World War, the complex suffered minor damage due to bombings. In 1985, the manor was expanded with the addition of the west wing and the portico.
As in the past, Borgo Malvasia is today surrounded by a private park of approximately 80 hectares, immersed in nature, silence, and rare scenic beauty. The small church, the villa, and the numerous farmhouses that make up the borgo are now open to guests, while still remaining the property of the family’s descendants, who chose to share this place with visitors from all over the world.
In 1985, Ca’ Palazzo, together with its complex, was registered among the protected heritage properties of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, which describes it as a place where “the complex integrates into a unified morphological and cultural vision, reflecting an architectural taste and building tradition typical of the Bolognese countryside.”
