Description
This elegant 15th-century manorial villa is set in a beautifully panoramic position in the Tuscan countryside, not far from Florence and San Casciano in Val di Pesa. The building (over 1,000 sqm) is split into three residential units, two of which used as guest accommodations, and is really in immaculate shape with modern comforts and breathtaking finishes. Outside, the villa is surrounded by a well-manicured Italian garden and features an ample olive grove (2.2 ha) and a small vineyard (1.5 ha).
Services are all available in the nearby town (700 m) and can also be reached on foot, while the city of Florence is just half an hour away by car. What’s more, fundamental detail, the most beautiful and famous cities of Tuscany are no more than an hour drive from the villa (San Gimignano, Pisa, Arezzo, Montalcino, Siena…).
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDINGS
The manorial villa (1,025 sqm – 11,029 sqft, 9 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms) is laid over four floors in total and has been tastefully restored, preserving all of its original features and the typical charm of Florentine historic buildings. The floors are connected both by a convenient elevator, from the ground floor all the way up to the second floor, and by a main staircase departing from the common entrance room on the ground floor.
On the lowest floor, partially underground at the level of the Italian garden, are two spacious rooms used as cellars, a laundry with a small service toilet and a spacious garage (128 sqm – 1,377 sqft) opening onto the graveled apron at the end of the access boulevard.
The manorial apartment (467 sqm – 5,023 sqft, 3 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms) covers most of the ground floor and the entirety of the first floor. The unit features two entries: the first one is below the monumental staircase outside and opens into a hallway with the private internal staircase, while the other is reached directly by crossing the porch and opens into the dining room. The living area, aside from the previously mentioned dining area, includes a TV room, the ample kitchen with fireplace and a tea room. Beyond the TV room is the first bedroom with its own private bathroom. From the entrance, a side door leads into the keeper’s apartment (45 sqm – 484 sqft, 1 bedroom ad 1 bathroom) made up of a small bedroom, a living area and a bathroom.
The first floor can be reached either via the monumental staircase outside, the indoor private staircase, or the condominium stairwell (including the elevator). Anyway, one lands into the main hallway. From here one can then reach the reception hall with fireplace and exit onto the panoramic terrace (45 sqm – 484 sqft). In a corner of the building, next to the staircase, is a convenient private office space. Proceeding beyond the reception hall one gets to the sleeping area, made up of two spacious bedrooms with private bathroom. On the opposite side from the hall, with access from both the hallway and the sleeping area, is a spacious billiard room, ideal for the creation of another master bedroom with its own private bathroom.
On the second floor, reached via the main staircase or the elevator, are two guest apartments sharing a beautiful panoramic loggia (25 sqm – 269 sqft).
• Apartment A (158 sqm – 1,700 sqft, 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms) is made up of a spacious living room with dining area, a kitchen with exit onto the loggia and two bedrooms with en-suite bathroom (one of this is set on the gallery above). From the upper bedroom one can also enter the attic.
• Apartment B (154 sqm – 1,657 sqft, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms) is made up of a spacious living room with fireplace and cooking corner, dining room with exit onto the loggia, two bedrooms with a shared bathroom and a third bathroom with private bathroom in the attic.
Downhill from the villa, amidst the olive trees and the vineyards, is an outbuilding (106 sqm – 1,140 sqft) that houses, aside from a few storages and a workshop for agricultural vehicles, a gym with fitness are and changing room, a tasting area for wine and oil and a bathroom for the guests. The building could be even converted into a wine cellar.
HISTORY OF THE PROPERTY
The villa was, at least back at its inception, one of the watchtowers guarding the road that connected Florence and Siena. The villa was built only in the 15th century and then immediately reworked and altered in the 16th century following the new Renaissant style. Carocci, a notable Italian scholar, mentioned in his works the names of several families who owned the villa over the years: among these are the Del Buono, Buonaccorsi and Marsili (from Siena) families. In the second half of the 17th century, the villa was part of the possessions of the Buontalenti family (they were the descendants of the famous architect Bernardo).
In the early 1900s, the villa was restored and the tower on top of the building demolished to bring the manor back to its 16th century look. All the renovations were carried out by using original materials and accurate reproductions made by qualified artisans.
The southern façade, overlooking the elegant Italian garden, still features the original sundial with the writing Horas Tibi Serenas etched upon it (May your hours be peaceful).
EXTERIORS
The property extends for a otal of 4.1 hectares (10.1 acres), located on the gentle slope below the villa. The building, set in a very panoramic and convenient location, is surrounded by over 4,000 sqm of park made up of an elegant Italian garden below the main terrace and a beautiful 14 x 7 m swimming pool surrounded by a grassy sunbathing area shaded by palms and local trees. From the main gate, an uphill boulevard leads to the villa passing through the olive trees and the vineyards, ending in a convenient apron where one can park several vehicles. The villa also features modern security systems such as indoor/outdoor video-surveillance and indoor/outdoor motion sensors.
As for the agricultural portions of land, the estate focuses on oil and wine. The olive grove (2.2 ha) sports over 900 trees and allows producing up to 1,000 kg of extra-virgin olive oil in good years.
The vineyards (1.5 ha) fall inside the Chianti Classico production area, but the estate doesn't produce wine, selling grapes instead. Speaking of quantities, production ranges around 3.100 kg of Chianti Classico DOCG and 7,800 kg of Toscana IGT.
USE AND POTENTIAL USES
The villa has been partly converted into a guest accommodation, splitting the second floor into two apartments with independent access from the condominium staircase and elevator. The presence, however, of internal staircases between the floors would also allow joining the building back into a single, elegant manorial house. Currently, agricultural production is managed by a third party but one could convert the outbuilding into a cellar with processing, winemaking and bottling rooms.
CLOSEST CITIES AND TOWNS
Closest services (700m; 2’), San Casciano in Val di Pesa (6km; 10’), Greve in Chianti (13km; 15’), Radda in Chianti (25km; 35’), Florence (32km; 30’), Colle di Val d’Elsa (33km; 30’), San Gimignano (38km; 45’), Monteriggioni (40km; 40’), Montevarchi (46km; 1h), Siena (56km; 50’), Volterra (59km; 1h), Pisa (83km; 1h 10’), Arezzo (89km; 1h 10’), Montalcino (94km; 1h 25’)
CLOSEST AIRPORTS
Firenze Vespucci (40km; 35’), Pisa Galilei (80km; 1h), Bologna Marconi (119km; 1h 25’), Perugia San Francesco (169km; 2h), Roma Ciampino (300km; 3h 20’), Roma Fiumicino (316km; 3h 20’)
