Although the original structure dates back to the 16th century, the villa was radically renovated and rebuilt around 1770, at the height of Austrian rule. Materials salvaged from the demolition of the ancient local castle and its defensive walls were used in its reconstruction.
An interesting fact about the castle: the fortress had belonged to the Gonzaga family of Mantua; in 1479, Carlo Gonzaga gave it as a dowry to his daughter Cecilia on the occasion of her marriage to Count Odorico d’Arco.
The first detailed architectural surveys of the residence appear in the Catasto Teresiano of 1777. A few years later, in 1796, the villa became a strategic military hub: the Austrian Marshal Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser established his headquarters there during the famous Battle of Castiglione against the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Between the early and mid-19th century, the villa passed through the hands of various noble families from Mantua. In 1857, Luigi Amedei sold it to Giuseppe Ignazio Pastore; the villa owes its current name to his daughter, Mirra.
The residence is also closely linked to the history of the Italian Risorgimento: on 24 June 1859, immediately after the bloody Battle of Solferino and San Martino, the French Emperor Napoleon III stayed there.
At the beginning of the 20th century (1900), the building was purchased by the Siliprandi family, who retained ownership until 1974. In 1978, the property was finally acquired by the Municipality of Cavriana, though unfortunately, over the years, it suffered the loss of some of its original furnishings.
On 24 June 1959, to mark the centenary of the Battle of Solferino and San Martino, Villa Mirra provided the setting for an important diplomatic event. The drawing room on the main floor hosted the official luncheon between the President of the French Republic, General Charles de Gaulle, and the President of the Italian Republic, Giovanni Gronchi – an event now commemorated by a plaque.
Today, one wing of the complex serves as the permanent home of the Archaeological Museum of the Upper Mantua Area, whilst the remaining rooms are used by the local council or to host events and functions.