Villa Valmarana (ai Nani)

Rather confusingly there are several Villa and Palazzo Valmarana, a couple of which were designed by Palladio, plus this one, again rather confusingly located right next to Palladio's most famous work, the Villa Capra. In an attempt to clarify things for hapless Palladio fans and tourists, this one is known as Villa Valmarana ai Nani (of the dwarves), a name derived from the numerous stone dwarf statues set along the walls. Whether or not the legend of the dwarf princess is true, it certainly rates as one of the classier set of garden gnomes I have yet encountered.