Villa Medici di Fiesole

The Medici Villa of Fiesole was built between 1451 and 1457 as part of the Renaissance transformation of the Tuscan countryside. Its terraced garden and loggias connect the architecture with the surrounding landscape and the city of Florence.

Why it matters

Designed by Michelozzo, the villa is an early example of Renaissance residential architecture. Its cultural history is linked to Lorenzo de' Medici, who used the residence for extended stays and brought members of his humanist circle to Fiesole. In 2013 the villa and garden became part of the UNESCO World Heritage serial site of the Medici Villas and Gardens of Tuscany.

What to notice

The garden is arranged across terraces supported by retaining walls, joining the residence to the sloping site and the view toward Florence. Its present design reflects early twentieth-century work by Geoffrey Scott and Cecil Pinsent, whose neo-Renaissance landscaping also influenced other villas in the Fiesole hills. The terraced arrangement contrasts with the villa's fifteenth-century architecture, a combination that led to the local name Villa Belcanto.

Context and history

The villa was designed and built between 1451 and 1457, with Michelozzo named as architect in municipal history. Under Lorenzo de' Medici it became a setting for study and conversation among humanists including Agnolo Poliziano, Pico della Mirandola and Cristoforo Landino. After the Medici period the property passed through successive owners; it was acquired by the Mazzini Marchi family in 1959. Scott and Pinsent redesigned the garden in the early twentieth century. In 2013 the villa and garden entered the UNESCO World Heritage serial site Ville e giardini medicei in Toscana.