The world is full of haunted houses and buildings. There are witnesses who swear to have seen ghostly shapes wandering in the corridors, and to have heard apparently inexplicable loud noises. Subject of the scariest horror stories ever conceived, the owned houses represent a true icon of collective thought, and fascinate even those who say to don't believe in ghosts. Well, today we are talking about one of the most legendary villas in terms of thrills: the Villa de Vecchi, in that of Cortenova!
The accursed Red House
Villa De Vecchi, or rather, the Red House (due to its original color) it was built in Cortenova, in the province of Lecco, by Felice DeVecchi, prominent personalities of the Italian Risorgimento scene. Felice's inordinate passion for the East made him buy various objects, including most of the furnishings of the villa. Consisting of 3 levels, the structure was at the time full of furnishings and trinkets of all kinds. Outside there was a park, which consisted of a garden and a fountain, of which today however there is no trace. The construction works began in 1854, and ended in 1858, thanks to the skill of the architect Alexander Sidoli. Felice De Vecchi had also actively participated in the five days in Milan, and was head of the Italian National Guard.
Despite the excellent premises, the happiness and splendor in the villa were short-lived: the splendid building was abandoned in 1938, precisely by those who should have taken care of it, that is, the heirs of the late Felice. Towards the beginning of the 80s the villa was taken over by some local entrepreneurs. Before that, several criminals vandalized and plundered it. Beyond its now macabre aspect, Villa De Vecchi owes its reputation as a haunted house to all the legends that gravitate around it. Most likely the reasons for these rumors depend on a probable murder that was committed within those walls ...
Aleister Crowley and esotericism in the Villa De Vecchi
One of the legends that are told about the villa, perhaps the most gruesome, concerns the famous one Aleister Crowley, English esotericist. In fact, it is said that Crowley was dedicated to mysterious and occult practices, which they foresaw evocations of evil spirits and bloody initiation rituals. Crowley stayed in the villa after World War I, and right within its walls he devoted himself to the profession of the magical arts. Legend has it that Crowley and his followers one night summoned the devil himself, and that he took possession of one of the followers. The next day some people found all the participants brutally slaughtered, without explanation. Moreover, witnesses boast of sometimes hearing the sound of a piano that is heard at night.
There is actually a piano in the hall of the villa, but it is completely destroyed. In spite of all these false beliefs, Mr. Giovanni Negri (son of Antonio, the last custodian of the estate) claims that these rumors are unfounded. Of course, every chilling story relating to Villa De Vecchi is the result of mystery, as are the bizarre coincidences that have interested it. Even its creator, Alessandro Sidoli, died very young after having designed it. Although it is a very resistant building, Villa De Vecchi will never be able to return to its original splendor. Not even the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage could do much to save it, for reasons of poor security in the area. We do not know if what is said is true, but this villa certainly deserved the title of haunted house!
