Created on the remains of a Roman settlement, the villa was built in the 16th century on commission by the Spoletan Martorelli noble family.
The building features a main body with two corner towers and underwent modifications in the 18th century, when it passed onto the Locatelli family, who wanted to make it suitable for the stay of popes Pious VI and VII. In 1823, the family’s estates passed onto Francesco Marignoli and soon after onto Spoletan pope Leo XII. In 1885 the Marignolis bought it back and renamed it “redenta” (Italian for “redeemed”).
The inside of the villa is embellished by 16th-century frescoes by the religious subject, but most of the decorations date to the 18th/19th century. The atrium welcomes visitors with full-sized Napoleonic soldiers. A big hall with a mosaic floor follows, that was part of the original Roman villa. Interesting exotic landscapes are featured in the so-called Chinese Hall, while the Canova Hall offers mythological scenes. Around the main building there are a chapel, an interesting coffee house in Rococo style, a guesthouse and the stables. The whole is surrounded by a wonderful garden that features more than 900 vegetable species, including a centuries-old, 19-m-tall Lebanon Cedar.

L’Umbria, Manuali per il Territorio, Spoleto, Roma 1978