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Florence apartments - Environs of
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Environs of Florence
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THE MEDICI VILLAS DI CASTELLO AND DELLA PETRAIA
The Villa di Castello was restored for Cosimo I de' Medici who
commissioned Tribolo to design and build the beautiful Italian gardens.
The interior of the Villa, headquarters of the Accademia della Crusca,
is not open to the public.
The Villa della Petraia is just a short distance away; the Medici
ordered Buontalenti to remodel it in the 16th century. The villa,
frescoed by Cosimo Daddi (1591-94) and Volterrano (1636-48) was the
residence of King Vittorio Emanuele II during the 19th century.
MUSEO STIBBERT
This museum contains the collections that Frederick Stibbert bequeathed
to the city in 1906. The armor and weapons are the most outstanding
items.
PARCO DI VILLA DEMIDOFF
The Villa Demidoff park is located at Pratolino, on the Via Bolognese.
Little remains of the splendid villa that Buontalenti built for
Francesco I de' Medici in 1575. The park, that has been completely
restored, is open from April to October, and it is a wonderful place to
visit outside the city. Giambologna's monumental statue of the
"Appennines" (1579-89) is an outstanding example of Florentine
Mannerism.
FIESOLE
Nestled on a hill overlooking the Arno valley, in a splendid panoramic
setting, Fiesole dates back to ancient times as we can see from the vast
archeological area with ruins of the Etruscan temple and walls, the
Roman amphitheater and baths and the Museo Civico that contains many
excavated items. The Gothic Cathedral of San Romolo (12th century) and
the Basilica of Sant'Alessandro, the oldest in the city, are places of
interest. The Museo Bandini, with its collection of paintings by Italian
artists from the 13th to 15th century and the Museo Primo Conti, with
oils and drawings by the recently deceased Florentine artist, are both
worth a visit.
CENACLE OF SAN SALVI
What was once the refectory of the former Vallombrosian monastery of San
Salvi contains Andrea del Sarto's fresco of the "Last Supper" (1526-27).
SETTIGNANO
This is a small village that grew up on the hillside north east of
Florence; it can be reached by bus or via a panoramic drive along the
hills from Fiesole. Gabriele D'Annunzio lived here in the Villa la
Capponcina; the gardens of the Villa Gamberaia are considered among the
loveliest in Europe and offer unforgettable views of Florence.
CERTOSA DEL GALLUZZO
Just 2 kilometers south of Florence rises the austere, fortress-like
Certosa del Galluzzo. Founded by Niccolò Acciaiuoli in the 14th century
to host young Florentines wanting to study the liberal arts, today it is
inhabited by a group of Cistercian Benedictine monks. It contains
several important artworks including five lunettes with "Scenes from the
Passion", frescoed by Pontormo (1523-25).
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