Why Lisander

B&B Lisander courtyard

Lisander is the vernacular version of the name Alessandro and it’s typical of Lombardy.

It’s often linked to the writer and poet Alessandro Manzoni, commonly known as Don Lisander, who set his masterpiece “The Betrothed” in the Brianza region of Lombardy. Brianza has deeply changed over time but can still offer glimpses of times gone by that take us back to the 17th century of Manzoni’s master novel such as the village of Pescarenico or the ferry across the Adda River designed by Leonardo da Vinci in Imbersago

Lisander is also a recurrent name in our family.

The Bed and Breakfast is located in a wing of the Silva family home, who have been living here for more than 200 years. Over time, annexes have been added to the main building which was known as Palazzo Odescalchi, whose origin dates back to the late 1.500 A.D.

The main building originally belonged to a cadet branch of the powerful Odescalchi family. Legend has it that Pope Innocent XI, who was a member of the Odescalchi family, was accidentally born here, but promptly registered as born in Como.

In more recent times, the building was home to Maestro Pozzoli, a world-known pianist who developed the most effective tonic sol-fa method: Seregno is in fact the seat of the International Pozzoli Competion for Young Pianists.

The Silva Family has always cherished and valued these walls, keeping intact the spirit and the details of bygone times.