Villa Poggio a Caiano
The Medicis relocated to their summer estates in the nearby hills when Florence's summer heat grew intolerable. To build summer palaces around by miles of meticulously maintained gardens and hunting areas, they hired the greatest architects, artists, and garden designers. The most impressive of these is Villa Poggio a Caiano, which is located approximately 22 kilometers from Florence's center on the road to Pistoia. The villa, which Lorenzo the Magnificent started in 1485, exemplifies many aspects of the new Renaissance architectural concepts, particularly in terms of its connection to the outside world and its natural environs. The house lacks a central courtyard and instead features an open loggia that wraps around each of its four sides. This shifts the emphasis of the structure to the outside, including the environment in the design itself.
The central hall of the villa features early 1500s frescos that continue the theme and include country settings in addition to classical themes and images from Cosimo and Lorenzo de Medici's life. The second level of the villa includes the Museum of Still Life in addition to the opulently furnished flats.
- Ticket price: N/A
- Tripadvisor Rating: 4.5/5
- Opening hours: 8:15 - 18:30
- Distance from Florence: 50 minutes
- Official site: polomusealetoscana.beniculturali.it/
