Esterno Villa e Giardino Ormond a Sanremo

Villa Ormond and its garden

Villa Ormond, Beauty Will Save the World

The Villa Ormond and its Garden are located in the municipality of Sanremo, in the province of Imperia.
The history of Villa Ormond dates back to 1875, when Swiss businessman Michel Louis Ormond bought Villa Rambaldi to spend the winter months on the Riviera with his wife, poetess Marie-Marguerite Renet Ormond.

A few years later, in 1887, Villa Rambaldi was severely damaged by an earthquake that struck western Liguria. After working to help the townspeople, the Ormond couple decided to commission Swiss architect Emile Réverdin to rebuild their residence.

Inaugurated in 1890, Villa Ormond was influenced by French taste and Renaissance forms. Inside, the villa was embellished with collections of paintings and silverware belonging to the Ormond family.

Today, Villa Ormond houses the offices of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law.

Ormond Garden, in the Rooms of Nature

The new residential complex designed by the Ormond family was to include a large garden around the Villa. For this reason, the terraces and citrus groves of the old park were removed and a space inspired by French gardens was created.

Characterised by a wide selection of plants, the Ormond Garden is structured in “rooms”, each with a specific biodiversity. Of particular note are the Japanese Garden, the area dedicated to ficus and the palm grove, where specimens of Phoenix dactylifera and Jacaranda can be seen.

During the walk, visitors can admire the fountain designed by Pietro Agosti, and the statues erected in memory of two illustrious guests: the Mexican poet Ignacio Manuel Altamirano, and the King of Montenegro, Nicholas I.

The magnificent gardens of Villa Regina Elena near Villa Ormond are worth a visit.