Their history reaches back to the 15th century to the era of the Republic of Venice. At that time, the aristocrats and patricians built these mansions on large estates from the coastline to the Alpes to escape the hot summers in the city.

The properties did not only serve as an alternative to the prestigious city palazzi in Venice, but also to develop the uncultivated areas of Venetia. Several thousand villas were built from the 15th to the 19th century, and some of the aristocrats owned dozens. Especially around the area of the Brenta canal, which connects the lagoon of Venice with Padua, most of the splendid mansions are located. The conglomerate of these castle-like facilities is called the Riviera del Brenta.

The representative properties of the upper class were designed by renowned architects, foremost Andrea Palladio with his classicist style. Some were decorated with a fascinating fresco of their epochs, like the Villa Barbaro in Masèr.

When the end of the Republic of Venice was announced, the mansion culture ended. Some of the prestigious mansions are currently empty, some are inhabited, and many of them were restored and are vacant for a visit.