Villa Rusciano
Encyclopedia
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, central Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, which includes work by Brunelleschi.
Description and history
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, the Villa has one of the most magnificent views over the city. The name is derived from the area, once a prominent agricultural estate. The villa was cited by Franco Sacchetti
Franco Sacchetti
Franco Sacchetti , was an Italian poet and novelist.-Biography:Born in Florence or in Ragusa , he was the son of Benci di Uguccione, surnamed "Buono", Florentine merchant of the noble and ancient family of the Sacchetti...
in Trecentonovelle, and once belonged to the Salviati
Salviati (bankers)
The Salviati were a prominent Florentine-Roman family who in the 15th century were bankers to Pope Sixtus IV. They were among those involved in the Pazzi Conspiracy of 1478, a plot to murder the leading members of the Medici family in Florence...
family.
Luca Pitti
Luca Pitti was a Florentine banker during the period of the republic presided over by Cosimo de' Medici. He was a loyal friend and servant to the Medici and the republic...
bought the estate and had it restructured by Filippo Brunelleschi
Filippo Brunelleschi
Filippo Brunelleschi was one of the foremost architects and engineers of the Italian Renaissance. He is perhaps most famous for inventing linear perspective and designing the dome of the Florence Cathedral, but his accomplishments also included bronze artwork, architecture , mathematics,...
, requesting that the building should demonstrate the extent of his wealth and his personal prestige. (He at that time was one of the richest citizens of Florence.) Unfortunately the original project was not fully completed (it would have been one of the greatest Florentine villas of that time). Of this project only the huge staircase and decorative parts of the inner courtyard and interiors remain.
Inside there is also a della Robbia
Della Robbia
Della Robbia may refer to:*Luca della Robbia , Italian sculptor*Andrea della Robbia , Italian sculptor, nephew of Luca*Giovanni della Robbia , son of Andrea*Girolamo della Robbia , son of Andrea...
sculpture with cherubs, and some precious stone structures such as portals and fireplaces.
The garden has a panoramic terrace and there are big cypress trees planted. The Villa was renowned to possess a huge variety of plants originating from all over the world. It was in these gardens that Francesco Franceschi Fenzi first discovered his passion for plants.
In 1472 it was bought by the Florentine Republic and granted as residence to Federico III da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, Captain General of the armed forces. The villa had several other owners. Among other prestigious Florentine owners was Emanuele Fenzi
Emanuele Fenzi
Emanuele Fenzi , was an Italian a leading banker, iron producer, concessionaire of the Livorno–Florence railway and other railway enterprises, merchant for exportation of Tuscan products, and landowner...
and his family, later bequeathed to Leone and Ida Fenzi.
Sources
- Il Posseso di Rusciano
- Il “Quinto Liceo Scientifico” - Giovanni Giovannini
- Un Ricordo del Liceo “Gobetti” - Mercurio Candela