Villa Rodriguez

Villa Rodriguez is a historic villa located in San Lazzaro di Savena, Italy. It is best known as the seat of the Opera Pia Laura Rodriguez, a charitable institution established in 1929 through the testamentary bequest of the Bolognese noblewoman Laura Bevilacqua Ariosti, who was married to the Spaniard Annibale Rodriguez y Laso De’ Buoi. In her holographic will, she directed that the most substantial part of her wealthy estate be used to create a convalescent home for poor women. The villa, surrounded by a centuries-old park and set within a large agricultural estate, was included in the bequest and had served as the Rodriguez family's summer residence. The convalescent home was officially inaugurated in the villa in 1932. Its early decades were marked by wartime disruptions: the facility was initially closed due to occupation first by a German command and later by Allied forces. For about eight years, it was entrusted to a group of doctors who founded the Casa di Cura Villa Laura. On 1 July 1963, the structure was adapted, and it reopened on 4 July 1964 in accordance with the testamentary wishes, continuing its mission of assistance to convalescent women. The welfare activity carried out from 1929 to 1943 cannot be documented because the archive was destroyed by aerial bombardments on San Lazzaro. The extensive property was partly urbanized and partly made available to the Municipality of San Lazzaro, which transformed it into a park. Today, Villa Rodriguez is associated with ASP Laura Rodriguez, a public-service entity that continues the charitable legacy. The villa itself is recognized as a building of historical significance in San Lazzaro di Savena. Its story reflects the transition of a private noble estate into a lasting institution of social care, deeply rooted in the local community and in the provisions of its founder's will.

The history of Villa Rodriguez begins with the testamentary bequest of Laura Bevilacqua Ariosti, a Bolognese noblewoman married to the Spaniard Annibale Rodriguez y Laso De’ Buoi. In her holographic will, she expressed the wish that a convalescent institute for poor women aged sixteen to fifty of the Catholic religion be founded in her villa in San Lazzaro. The villa, surrounded by a centuries-old park and set within a vast agricultural property used by the Rodriguez family as a summer residence, was included in the bequest. The Opera Pia Laura Rodriguez was established in 1929 and recognized as a moral entity by Royal Decree on 9 May 1929. The convalescent home was officially inaugurated in the villa in 1932. The following years were marked by the upheavals of war. The facility was initially closed due to occupation, first by a German command and subsequently by Allied forces. For approximately eight years, it was entrusted to a group of doctors who founded the Casa di Cura Villa Laura. On 1 July 1963, the structure was adapted, and it reopened on 4 July 1964 in accordance with the founder's testamentary wishes, continuing its mission of assistance to convalescent women. Unfortunately, the welfare activity carried out from 1929 to 1943 cannot be documented because the archive was destroyed by aerial bombardments on San Lazzaro. The extensive property was partly urbanized and partly made available to the Municipality of San Lazzaro, which transformed it into a park. Today, the legacy continues under ASP Laura Rodriguez, and the villa remains a notable historic building in San Lazzaro di Savena.

• 1964

  Reopened on 4 July 1964 according to testamentary wishes, continuing assistance to convalescent women.

• 1963

  Structure adapted on 1 July 1963.

• 1932

  Convalescent home officially inaugurated in the villa in San Lazzaro.

• 1929

  Opera Pia Laura Rodriguez established by testamentary bequest and recognized as a moral entity by Royal Decree on 9 May 1929.

Historic charitable institution and heritage property

1. 1CENNI STORICI – ASP LAURA RODRIGUEZasplaurarodriguez.it
2. 2Villa Rodriguez - Wikidatawikidata.org