Villa Panna, Renaissance villa in Scarperia e San Piero, Italy.
Villa Panna is a Renaissance residence in Scarperia e San Piero set on a hilltop with surrounding gardens featuring an English-style park, an artificial lake, and decorative statues throughout the grounds. The property currently houses the Acqua Panna mineral water production facilities.
The Medici family commissioned architect Michelozzo in 1427 to transform a farmhouse into this grand villa with hunting grounds and gardens attached to it. This conversion marked the establishment of a pleasure residence for Florence's most powerful family during the Renaissance.
The villa contains a private chapel with two separate entries, one designed for the family and another for their household staff to attend services together. This arrangement reflects how spiritual life was organized and experienced differently depending on social standing.
The property lies approximately 40 kilometers north of Florence in the Tuscan countryside and features extensive grounds that can be explored on foot. The hilltop setting means paths have slopes, so wear comfortable walking shoes and be prepared for uneven terrain as you move through the gardens.
A commemorative plaque marks King Umberto I's visit to the property during his travels through Tuscany. Inside the entrance hangs an 1792 land registry document displaying the original property boundaries, offering a glimpse into how the estate was officially surveyed centuries ago.
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