The House of Witches - A Haunted Italian Mansion
In Italy there’s a house buried within the trees against the mountains that has a torrid past and is now cemented as a gothic must-see.
Also known as Villa De Vecchi, Red House and Ghost Mansion, the House of Witches was built in 1857 as a summer home for Count Felix De Vecchi. Felix was kind of a bad ass – he spent his life travelling, published a book, painted, got married to Carolina Franchetti, went travelling again, and helped liberate Milan from Austria. When he wanted to slow down, he had this house built. It had a lot of modern features including indoor plumbing and a large pressurized outdoor fountain. The location was chosen due to the thermal springs found nearby.
But sadly, the Architect Alessandro Sidioli passed away before the house was finished. Many see this as the bad omen that set up the crazy history.
The rumor that fills this haunted mansion is that in 1862 Felix returned from a trip to find Carolina had been brutally murdered and her face disfigured, and his daughter was missing. After a hectic search, the daughter was never found, and Felix killed himself later that year. This murder and kidnapping was never solved, though it is thought that it was a revenge attack because Felix supported the unification of Milan.
After Felix died, the house was left to his brother Biago where it remained in the family until World War II.
In reality, Felix was already a widower by the time he hired Alessandro to build the house. In the early 1860’s Felix was ill with a chronic liver disorder and spent the last months of his life painting and playing with his children. When he finally passed at the age of 46, the house and his children were left with his brother Biago.
In the 20’s it’s rumored that supernatural bad boy Alistair Crowley stayed there and the house quickly became a site for Satanic rituals.
Locals have said that they can hear the grand piano being played from inside the ruins.
The house was completely abandoned in the 60’s leaving it to fall apart. The house is now filled with graffiti and has been picked apart over the years. It’s still a stunning structure and you can feel the ghost of what it once was. In 2002 an avalanche wiped out the nearby houses, leaving the villa untouched.
Is there something hanging over this mysterious villa? Ghosts that roam the halls? Who knows, but you can venture there if you dare…
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