The villa was built in 1560 as a summer house for the
Genoese nobleman Tobia Pallavicino, a wealthy merchant in
alum, in an elevated area over the city which, in the 16th century, was still outside of the city walls. While the villa was being constructed, Tobia Pallavicino also commissioned his
city palace in the
Strada Nuova (
Italian for "New Street", now
via Garibaldi), known today as
Palazzo Carrega-Cataldi.
Raffaele Soprani attributed the design of the villa to
Galeazzo Alessi in 1674, although he still doubted whether “
some reforms and additions" should not be attributed to
Giovanni Battista Castello "il Bergamasco" instead, who was building a city palace for Tobia Pallavicino in the same period. The villa underwent some alterations and a general restoration before 1846. In the second half of the 19th century, the large park was reduced in size to make way to the opening of via Peschiera.
Charles Dickens is one of the notable guests who stayed at the villa and described in his
Pictures from Italy the views over the city and the Acquasola gardens which one could enjoy from the park. == Description ==