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Built during the XV century by the Strozzi family, Villa Corsini a Castello consisted of an elegant palace and a building for the peasants, within a large estate rich in vegetable gardens, olive trees and vines. It was sold around 1440 to the Rinieri family, who made the first modifications, including the first Italian garden decorated with sculptures, and a new central body connecting the two original buildings.

In 1697, the complex was purchased as a holiday resort by Filippo Corsini, Councilor of the Grand Duke Cosimo III de ‘Medici, who entrusted a further renovation to Giovan Battista Foggini (1652-1725), an architect and grand-ducal sculptor, as well as the director of the court manufacturing facilities. The villa remained a property of the Corsini family until the end of World War II.
The garden was renovated and arranged in three different environments. The first, to the south, represents the typical Italian garden with geometric boxwood flower beds (Buxus sempervirens), arranged around a circular stone basin.
The second environment represents wild nature; it’s basically a wooded area to the north, mostly made of cypresses (Cupressus spp.), holm oaks (Quercus ilex), and laurels (Laurus nobilis). In the past, it included the XVI century “ragnaie” (wooded areas fitted with nets for catching the birds).
Inside this second area, there are also French elements like a fountain flanked by two fan-shaped ramps. From here, a path leads to a shrine in which the river statue of Tribolo can be still seen.
The third environment consists of a semicircular garden dedicated to the four seasons and decorated with pillars, benches and sculptures by Isidoro Franchi in 1702.
From there, an avenue of holm oaks leads to a wonderful view of the villa and the stables.
Until the mid-XIX century, there was another large area used as a riding track, which was later dismantled. The farm is flanked by the formal garden, divided by a row of cypresses, mainly cultivated with vines (Vitis vinifera) and olive trees.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)