Villa Reale di Monza closes again after restoration dispute

Villa Reale di Monza, a neoclassical palace designed by Giuseppe Piermarini and built between 1777 and 1780 for Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, has closed its doors again after a dispute between the concessionaire Nuova Villa Reale and the Consorzio di gestione di Parco e Villa Reale, led by Monza mayor Dario Allevi. The villa had reopened in 2014 after a €20 million restoration. The conflict stems from the Consorzio's alleged failure to pay €8 million owed to the concessionaire, despite an ultimatum in November 2020. As a result, utilities (water, electricity, gas) were cut, and scheduled exhibitions, including a Salvador Dalí show planned through December 2021, were canceled. Attilio Navarra, legal representative of Nuova Villa Reale, announced that by January 11, 2021, the bookshop, curtains, kitchens, and furnishings of the Vicook bistro (run by the Cerea family) would be dismantled. Ground-floor furnishings designed by architect Michele De Lucchi will be auctioned. Mayor Allevi responded on Facebook, calling the article alarmist and stating that a decisive meeting is set for January 15, 2021, and that no historical furnishings will leave the villa. The Consorzio issued a statement blaming the concessionaire for various breaches and vowing to seek damages in court. The villa remains closed to the public, exacerbated by the pandemic.