Medici Villa of Castello

The Medici Villa of Castello, located in the hills of Florence, is a Renaissance masterpiece with a fascinating history and spectacular gardens. Purchased by Lorenzo and Giovanni di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici in 1477, the villa was expanded and decorated with works of art. Among its most illustrious patrons is Lorenzo the Popolano, cousin of Lorenzo the Magnificent, who commissioned Sandro Botticelli to create the famous works “Primavera” and “The Birth of Venus” to adorn the villa. The villa was looted and set on fire during the siege of Florence in 1529-1530, but fortunately suffered less damage compared to other Medici residences. With the rise to power of Cosimo I de’ Medici, the villa experienced a new phase of splendor. From 1538, Cosimo commissioned Giorgio Vasari to renovate the villa and tasked Niccolò Tribolo with designing the magnificent gardens, considered one of the first examples of an Italian garden. Tribolo, along with hydraulic engineers Pierino da San Casciano and Benedetto Varchi, created a garden that represented Tuscany in microcosm, with symbolic references to the Arno and Mugnone rivers. One of the most fascinating elements of the garden is the Grotta degli Animali, an artificial grotto decorated with animal sculptures, symbolizing the pacification of the living universe under Cosimo’s rule. The fountain of Hercules and Antaeus, located at the top of the garden, was created between 1538 and 1560 by Tribolo, Bartolomeo Ammannati, and Pierino da Vinci, adding an additional touch of magnificence to the complex. The villa itself features a sober and elegant architectural structure, with a central courtyard surrounded by loggias. Inside, the rooms are decorated with frescoes and furnishings that reflect the artistic taste of different eras. Among the most notable rooms is the Sala delle Pale, named after the ancient wooden shovels hanging on the walls, each representing a member of the Accademia della Crusca, an institution based in the villa since 1984. The history of the villa is also marked by the presence of numerous members of the Medici family and other illustrious figures. Ferdinando I de’ Medici completed the expansion of the villa between 1588 and 1595, decorating the facades and adding a new entrance portal. During the Lorraine period, the villa underwent further transformations, including the construction of lemon houses and the creation of an English park. In the 19th century, during the Napoleonic era, neoclassical decorations were introduced and an icehouse was built. In 1818, Leopoldo II of Lorraine connected the villa to the nearby Villa La Petraia through a tree-lined avenue. However, with the advent of the Savoy family, the villa was neglected and fell into a state of abandonment until 1919, when Vittorio Emanuele III donated the property to the Italian State. In the 1970s, the villa underwent a major architectural restoration that, while sacrificing some 17th-18th century decorations, allowed for the establishment of the permanent headquarters of the Accademia della Crusca. The gardens, open to the public and transformed into a national museum in 1984, were reorganized and restored, with particular attention to the restoration of original tree species and water features.