Villa Medici
Villa Medici bears the name of a great Italian family. Today, the Academy of Arts operates here, which is freely visited by tourists from all over the world. Everyone who has been here says that there is a special atmosphere in this place. People come here in search of an introduction to history and in the hope of finding inspiration.
The history of Villa Medici
The Medici family began to own the villa in 1576. It was managed by a well-known member of the Ferdinando de' Medici family. By his nature, he was a great lover of art, and he also held the title of cardinal. For this reason, he decided to purchase a plot of land on Pincho Hill and build a mansion on it, which would house his entire priceless collection. The Medici commissioned the construction of a building in his favorite Mannerist style. In 1587, the cardinal received the status of Grand Duke of Tuscany. After that, the ambassadors of the Principality of Tuscany often lived in Villa Medici, and it enjoyed great popularity throughout Italy.
After the end of the Medici dynasty, the villa changed hands, gradually changing its appearance. In 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte decided to transfer the villa to the French Academy in Rome. It was actively used by Italian separatists, including Ingres, Mussini and Mussolini.
The exterior of the villa
The exterior of Villa Medici amazes and fascinates every tourist. The mansion is decorated with bas-reliefs depicting scenes of divine life; statues and busts are located in special recesses. The main entrance of the building is decorated with marble lions, which stand with their paws on cannonballs - a kind of personification of the coat of arms of the first owner of the villa, Ferdinando de' Medici. The Mercury Fountain is emblazoned on the face in front of the building. Inside the building, visitors are greeted by paintings and ancient frescoes, as well as unique murals on the walls and ceiling.
An important part of Villa Medici is the gardens of Villa Medici. They were able to preserve the appearance of the 16th century in many ways, the total area of the gardens is 7 hectares. Many rare plant species were grown especially for the garden. The garden is decorated with statues depicting the goddess Niobe and her children.
Nowadays, the mansion is a real museum of works of art. It contains old documents of the Medici family, the Fernando collection, as well as the academy's collection. The visitor can see various objects used by the Medici family - furniture, paintings, tools and other things. A unique archive has also been preserved, which includes more than 200,000 original documents and books on music, architecture, and cinema.
Villa Medici is very popular among tourists from all over the world. To get on the tour, you need to reserve a place in advance, as there are a lot of people who want to visit it. The mansion will leave any tourist visiting Rome indifferent.
