Villa Rusciano, Renaissance villa in Gavinana, Florence, Italy

Villa Rusciano is a Renaissance residence located on a hillside in southern Florence with a prominent staircase and an inner courtyard. The structure displays typical 15th-century design features with symmetrical layouts and decorated outdoor spaces.

The villa's first core predates 1300, when Franco Sacchetti mentioned the residence and its estate in the Trecentonovelle; it then belonged to the Salviati family. In the mid-15th century Luca Pitti bought the estate and had it restructured by Filippo Brunelleschi, though the project was never fully completed. In 1472 the Florentine Republic bought it and granted it to Federico III da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino and captain general of its armed forces. In the 16th century Michelangelo is said to have worked there.

The terracotta decorations with cherub motifs showcase the skilled craftsmanship that defined Florence during the Renaissance. Visitors can notice these artistic elements throughout the rooms and courtyards, where the artistry of that era remains visible.

Villa Rusciano stands at via Benedetto Fortini 37 in the Gavinana district, on the south side of the Arno. The building houses the regional environmental institute and the Florence municipal environment department, while the park has been open to the public since the 1990s. The villa itself shows clear signs of neglect, so the grounds are the part to visit.

The garden's cypress terrace is where Francesco Franceschi Fenzi first discovered his passion for plants, as recorded in accounts of the villa. The same grounds later passed to Emanuele Fenzi and were bequeathed to Leone and Ida Fenzi. The park was recovered for public use from the 1990s.