Villa Medici, Renaissance hunting villa in Cerreto Guidi, Italy
Villa Medici is a Renaissance manor house set on a hilltop in Cerreto Guidi, built in brick with a symmetrical facade and two large zigzag staircases that descend to the town square below. The building is now a museum under the Italian Ministry of Culture and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that covers the Medici villas of Tuscany.
Construction began in 1555 under Cosimo I de' Medici on the site of a former castle of the Guidi Counts, whose stones were reused in the new building. The villa passed through several hands after the Medici line ended in the 18th century before becoming a state museum.
The rooms inside still hold paintings and furnishings from the 16th century that show how a noble family lived and spent their time. The personal objects on display give a sense of daily life that goes beyond what most palace museums offer.
The building is reached by climbing the two staircases from the town square, which makes orientation straightforward from the village center. The steps are steep, so sturdy footwear is a good idea, especially in wet weather.
Isabella de' Medici died within these walls in 1576 under circumstances that historians still debate today. Some researchers believe she was killed on her husband's orders, but no definitive proof has ever been found.
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