7 ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁Francis can ▁monaster y , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁final ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁expl orer ▁Gu ido ▁Mon z ino ▁and ▁today ▁houses ▁a ▁museum ▁devoted ▁to ▁his ▁work . ▁ ▁Villa ▁Mel zi ▁d ' Er il ▁in ▁Bell ag io ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁ne o - class ical ▁style ▁by ▁architect ▁G io cond o ▁Albert ol li ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 8 – 1 8 1 0 ▁as ▁the ▁summer ▁residence ▁of ▁Duke ▁Francesco ▁Mel zi ▁d ' Er il , ▁who ▁was ▁vice - pres ident ▁of ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁Italian ▁Republic . ▁The ▁park ▁includes ▁an ▁or ang ery , ▁a ▁private ▁chap el , ▁fine ▁stat ues , ▁and ▁a ▁Japanese ▁garden , ▁and ▁is ▁plant ed , ▁as ▁often ▁on ▁lake ▁Como , ▁with ▁huge ▁rh od od end rons . ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁guests ▁at ▁the ▁Villa ▁included ▁St end hal ▁and ▁Franz ▁Lis zt . ▁ ▁Villa ▁Ser bell oni , ▁also ▁in ▁Bell ag io , ▁hosts ▁the ▁Rock ef eller ▁Foundation ▁Bell ag io ▁Center , ▁a ▁ ▁international ▁conference ▁center ▁set ▁up ▁and ▁managed ▁by ▁the ▁Rock ef eller ▁Foundation ▁since ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁which ▁also ▁oper ates ▁a ▁" sch olar - in - res idence " ▁program ▁for ▁sch ol ars ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁This ▁is ▁believed ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁Pl iny ▁the ▁Young er ' s ▁villa ▁" T rag edia