Once upon a time there was a mill with a giant wheel, driven by the water trapped at the San Martino bridge.

In the 18th century, the Ferraris decided, following the Genoese fashion of those times, to build a beautiful villa on top of the mill, to spend their summers in the peace of the countryside. This villa was constructed in keeping with the style and comfort  of their town home: wide vaulted rooms lit by large windows and the inevitable family chapel.

Time passes, and at the end of the 19th century Brother Angelico Bracco, a distinguished representative of the Trinitari order,  escaped from Naples and come back to his native Torrazza, laden with goods and full of ideas. He  decided to buy the building and transform it in a convent. He was able to place the bell within the tower, his lasting memorial to his faith.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Lorenzo Amoretti, an olive oil enterpreneur and one of the wealthiest man in Imperia,  completely renovated the building: he transformed the convent in a modern olive mill and decorated the exterior with characteristic ornament.

After the WWII, the local cultivation of olive trees almost vanished. The mill no longer worked, and the building along with the surrounding land was bought by the Toscanos. They were searching for land to cultivate the famous Carnation from Sanremo.

In the last 50 years, the sleeping Beauty  suffered ravages of time and men. However, after a patient conservation efforts, directed by Arch. Erminia Airenti and under guidance of the Genoese Soprintendenza, we were able to recover the frescoed plasters, window and door frames and part of the original floors. With a great deal of renovation we were able to build comfortable apartments.

Now we are glad and proud to offer visitors a warm welcome to our historic farm, where we have added the vegetables garden, the orchard and olive grove to our flower production.

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