Casa Rossa Ximenes, Hydraulic engineering building in Castiglione della Pescaia, Italy.
Casa Rossa Ximenes is a water management structure in Castiglione della Pescaia built from red brick with three arches supporting two levels and an intricate system of water gates beneath the main building. The structure connects to the surrounding marshlands of Diaccia Botrona Natural Reserve through a bridge featuring five rows of arches.
Engineer Leonardo Ximenes designed this water management facility in 1765 at the commission of Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo to regulate water flow in the Maremma region. The project was part of a broader effort to manage the marshlands that characterized the Tuscan coast during that period.
The structure now houses a multimedia museum that presents information about local wildlife and vegetation through digital displays and live observation cameras positioned throughout the space.
The building sits at the edge of Diaccia Botrona Natural Reserve and is best reached on foot via the adjacent bridge that connects to walking paths in the area. The site is generally accessible, though pathways across the wetlands can become muddy after rain.
The facility's hydraulic system could regulate water flow between Lake Castiglione and the Tyrrhenian Sea while sustaining fish populations year-round, serving both ecological and economic purposes. This dual function made it a remarkable example of engineering that balanced water management with food production.
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