Period Castle With Park And Pool In Chianti, South Of Flo...

In the spectacular backdrop of the Chianti Hills, half an hour’s drive from the centre of Florence, this historic complex spanning 8,600 sqm comprises four period buildings housing a total of 84 bedrooms and 70 bathrooms. Surrounded by a vast 9.6-hectare private park comprising one hectare of terraced gardens with a swimming pool and four hectares of productive olive groves, as well as arable land and a private lake, this imposing medieval castle stands a short distance from Florence. The result of a glorious history spanning centuries, beginning in the Carolingian era and consolidated by the noble Acciaioli family, the entire property offers magnificent accommodation capacity. The extraordinary expanse of its outdoor spaces and the regal elegance of its interior halls make it a sumptuous manor house designed to welcome a large number of guests in the utmost splendour, demonstrating a perfect and natural suitability for hosting cultural events or refined hospitality services and high-profile receptions.The castle preserves a historical legacy of inestimable cultural value, celebrated as far back as the 17th century in European architectural treatises and even depicted in Leonardo da Vinci’s own drawings. In 1546, its imposing tower was remodelled, taking the profile of Arnolfo’s Tower at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence as its exact model, thus establishing an unmistakable visual landmark throughout the valley. During the Second World War, the estate became the 'Art Vault’ of the Renaissance, chosen for its security as a secret refuge to protect 272 masterpieces from the Uffizi and Palazzo Pitti, including Botticelli’s La Primavera, and historic works by Giotto and Ghirlandaio. In the early 20th century, the area became a magnet for the international aristocracy: Sir George Sitwell purchased the estate and, in 1921, commissioned the Tuscan master Gino Severini to create the famous ‘Sala delle Maschere’ (Hall of Masks), a pictorial masterpiece that adorns the living area with characters from the Commedia dell’Arte bathed in crisp Mediterranean light.Ref: 1118