The law number 578 of 29th July 1971 established the Ente per le Ville Vesuviane (organization for the Vesuvian Villas), which was a consortium formed by the State, the Campania Region, the Province of Naples and the Vesuvian Municipalities, and that had the objective of preserving, restoring, and valorising the remarkable architectural and environmental heritage of the Vesuvian Villas of XVIII century. In 1976, following the legislative decree of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage, the activities of the organization began.
A total of 122 historical sites – which comprise historical villas and their annexed parks
– were included in the legislative decree that allowed the beginning of the activities of the organization. Such sites are located in the municipalities of Naples, San Giorgio a Cremano, Portici, Ercolano, Torre del Greco and Torre Annunziata.
In 2009, the organization officially became a foundation: Fondazione Ente Ville Vesuviane substituted the Ente per le Ville Vesuviane, which means that the legal form changed, but the institutional scope stayed the same: preserving and restoring the rich cultural heritage of the villas of the territory, which remains the main area of expertise of the foundation. Four sites are currently managed and protected by the foundation: Villa Campolieto, Parco sul Mare della Villa Favorita, Villa delle Ginestre, Villa Ruggiero. The foundation also promotes research and publications and it supports educational activities, finalized at the getting to know the Vesuvian Villas form a tourist point of view and from the perspective of the foundation, which has been managing the restoration and promotion of many sites.
Website: http://www.villevesuviane.net/en/