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The villa is one of the largest and most elegant residences
in the area of the San Casciano Hills, near Florence.
Known in the past as the “queen of all villas”,
it appeared on record as early as 1427 bearing the name of
“Poggio Torselli”.
It was the property of some of the most remarkable patrician
families in Tuscany:Macchiavelli, Corsini, Strozzi,Antonori,
Capponi and Orlandini,who owned the villa until 1722.
The villa’s prestigious status drew many important figures,
among whom Pope Pius VII –
who stopped over on his way to
Paris to crown Emperor Napoleon
in 1804 – and Paul I, Emperor of
Russia.Today the villa is a national monument.
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 The
estate experienced both
peaceful and troubled times.
Works to construct the modern villa began at the end of
the 17th century and were completed in the early 18th
century by Lorenzo Merlini, a professional builder who
was very popular with the Florentine nobility of the period.
The building consists of a central
block and two “L-shaped”wings
housing apartments, offices, the
chapel and the lemon-house; to
the south, the wings enclose a
beautiful Italian style garden.
It is built in the sober and elegant
Florentine architectural style.
It
continues... |
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