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This villa is one of the oldest suburban residences of the Medici family: dating back to 1300, it remained in their property until 1477, enriched over time by numerous works of art, such as “La Primavera” and “La Nascita di Venere” by Botticelli – those masterpieces were commissioned by Lorenzo de’ Medici.
Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici used the villa as an elegant seat of political representation to celebrate the greatness of his family.

The structure extends over two floors and features Renaissance-style windows; it includes a XVI century courtyard with loggias and Tuscan pillars on the shorter sides. On the ground floor, there is the access to a hall with XIX century landscape frescoes, “Sala degli Armadi”, “Sala delle Pale”, and a chapel.

THE GARDEN

On the back of the Villa, there is a terraced garden which was commissioned to Tribolo around 1540. At the centre of the garden, once stood the Fountain of Hercules and Antaeus: today, only the original basin is still visible.
At the end of the central avenue, under a terrace, there’s “Grotta degli Animali” (the “Cave of the animals”): it was made with artificial stalactites, covered with a mosaic vault of shells and exhibiting groups of animals of all kinds, even exotic ones, carved in stone and marble of several colours, or cast in bronze – everything used to be “animated” by beautiful water games.
Two covered staircases on the side of the building lead to the park, where there is “Il Gennaio” (“January”), a bronze statue by Bartolomeo Ammannati.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)