HISTORICAL GARDENS | TUSCANYPreceded by a large meadow surrounded by rows of ancient cypress trees that branch out into a long avenue on the crest of the hill, the main facade of the imposing villa, with its monumental balconied portal reminiscent of seventeenth-century architecture, stands on the plateau dominating the strict and evocative Mugello landscape. Located on the eastern side, the elegant chapel dedicated to the Madonna della Neve relates to the English private space bordered by rows of cypresses.
Once "...a nobleman's house with its residences and belongings in the location of Santo Romolo in Bivigliano, called the 'Tower'..." a toponym that supports the hypothesis that it arose on the foundations of the 11th-century "castle" of the Cattanei di Cercina of Bivigliano.
Towards the end of the sixteenth century, on these pre-existing structures, the new noble residence was built, perhaps designed by Bernardo Buontalenti, who at that time was creating the Medici villa in Pratolino. The complex gained great prestige from the Ginori family, who purchased in 1664 the "house consisting of several rooms with a closed area of four staiora of fertile land and vineyards..." and then made significant transformations both to the building, adorned with a formal quadripartite garden with flowerbeds, a fountain, and an orchard, and to the park, where architectural elements were added to the revitalized naturalistic setting, such as the famous cave at the base of which reads: "Filippo Ginori made it in the year 1690."
The estate fell into decline until 1858 when it was purchased by the Pozzolini family, who made important improvements for the organization of the large estate that still determines the layout of the territory today, as evidenced by the memory of agronomist Tito Pestellini read at the Academy of Georgofili in July 1914.
The large park, with ancient sequoias, white firs, cypresses, and pines, oaks, and cedars, extends around the central avenue that descends from the iron gate with stone pillars to the small clearing, where the wide circular hedge delimits and hides the remains of the ancient fountain. The villa still welcomes us today with the understated and elegant northeast facade on the large English lawn, while it faces south on the ancient garden, at a lower level than the orchard that continues into the belvedere, where the view dominates the hilly environment with great charm.
