Castello del Trebbio

Castello del Trebbio is a Medici villa-castle above San Piero a Sieve, built on the remains of a feudal tower. Its hilltop position and Michelozzo's early fifteenth-century work connect it to the development of Medici architecture in the Mugello.

Why it matters

Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici and his son Cosimo commissioned Michelozzo to transform the earlier stronghold into a residence. The castle forms part of the UNESCO-listed Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany, inscribed in 2013.

What to notice

The complex retains its fortified outline alongside features of a villa, including a loggia and walled pergola garden. The hilltop site overlooks the Mugello, while the surrounding vineyards and olive groves remain part of an agricultural estate.

Context and history

The Medici held the property from 1309. It passed through several owners after its sale by Ferdinando II in 1644, and a restoration in the 1930s recovered elements of its fifteenth-century design. The estate now operates as an agricultural and wine property. The municipal history also records Amerigo Vespucci's stay here in 1476.