VILLA MEDICEA DELLA PETRAIA

THE MEDICI VILLA PETRAIA
(Via della Petraia, 40 - Florence)

Petraia is one of the most beautiful Medici villas, for the happy position in the landscape, for the excellence of the paintings, the luxuriant nature of the park.
Just a few kilometers from Florence is a typical suburban residence, refuge for the Medici grand dukes from the stress of the city.
An ancient fortified building, which is still the big tower, was enlarged in the late sixteenth century to realize the actual villa and the surrounding land was dug to situate it in the beautiful terraced garden.
The courtyard of the villa, covered in the nineteenth century, is decorated with frescoes of Volterra and Cosimo Daddi. The famous bronze sculpture by Giambologna depicting Venus-Fiorenza, which completed the homonymous fountain in ancient times in the garden of the villa of Castello, is now placed inside to preserve them.
For information call 055 452691