Storico Giardino Garzoni

The Storico Giardino Garzoni climbs the hillside beside Villa Garzoni in Collodi. Its baroque terraces combine stairways, clipped greenery, sculpture and water features in a garden that has survived largely intact.

Why it matters

The garden is a major example of the formal garden tradition in the Valdinievole. Its waterworks still follow much of the eighteenth-century design, and the estate is protected as a national monument.

What to notice

The central axis rises from the parterre by way of the Scala d'Acqua to the statue of Fama at the summit. The garden also includes a labyrinth, the Teatro di Verzura, the Ponte sul Labirinto and the Bagnetti, a bathing pavilion with concealed basins. Sculptures of mythological and allegorical figures animate the terraces.

Context and history

The Garzoni family shaped the estate over several centuries. Its last descendant sold the property in the 1920s. After a period of decline, the present owner restored the villa and garden in collaboration with the Fondazione Nazionale Carlo Collodi, which is involved in the garden's management.