It represents a perfect example of sumptuousness on Lario.
It was required by Innocenzo Odescalchi, a descendant o[ the homonymous pope's, who entrusted the construction to the excellent Simone Cantoni in 1782. It was finished in 1796.
The nephews Raimondi inherited Villa Olmo in 1824. Marquis Giorgio Raimondi entertained among his guests the Emperor of Austria, the Prince of Metternich and Marshall Radetzky, who all came here in 1838.
In 1883 the estate was acquired by Duke Guido Visconti di Modrone.
In 1926-27 the Municipality of Como entered in possession of Villa Olmo, and from then on it has been used for important cultural and artistical manifestations. Since 1982 Villa Olmo is the seat of the Centro Alessandro Volta, too, a prestigious scientific body linked to universities and scientists of world-wide renown.