Villa in Santa Croce sull'Arno, Tuscany

Details

An extraordinary historic estate for sale in Santa Croce sull’Arno, featuring a magnificent villa built in refined Renaissance style in the second half of the 17th century, complemented by two former farm buildings, a granary, a lemon house, a woodshed, and a church with a privately frescoed chapel. The entire complex spans approximately 4,500 sqm and represents a rare example of a noble Tuscan residence perfectly integrated into its natural surroundings. The villa, the architectural heart of the estate, was constructed on the foundations of a pre-existing tower at the initiative of Domenico Guerrini, whose heraldic coat of arms still crowns the main entrance. In later years, Marchioness Maria Ottavia Vettori Placidi transformed the residence into a refined cultural salon, welcoming artists and intellectuals. Among them was the celebrated Macchiaioli painter Cristiano Banti, a native of Santa Croce sull’Arno, who found in the Marchioness an important patron and is believed to have contributed to some of the villa’s interior decorative works. Arranged over three floors, the residence stands out for its meticulous interiors and elegant furnishings. The ground floor opens into a grand reception hall adorned with an imposing pietra serena fireplace, flanked by two adjoining rooms: a highly refined study created from a former chapel, and an intimate sitting room connected to a bathroom. The anteroom, decorated with exquisite Oriental-patterned wallpaper, reflects an exceptional attention to detail. The piano nobile, accessed via two impressive pietra serena staircases with barrel vaults, represents the pinnacle of the villa’s architectural splendor. The principal salon, enhanced by a panoramic balcony overlooking the valley with views reaching the towers of San Miniato, features walls entirely frescoed with remarkable trompe-l’œil scenes depicting the surrounding landscape. This artistic illusion creates a striking sense of continuity between interior and exterior spaces. The same refined decorative technique can be found in what is traditionally known as Cristiano Banti’s room, a space of notable artistic and historical charm. The estate’s park extends over approximately 45 hectares and encompasses ornamental gardens, orchards, an English garden, a natural lake, vineyards, and olive groves, forming a landscape of exceptional beauty and diversity. To the rear of the villa lies a magnificent Italian garden, best admired from the upper floors, whose harmonious geometric design is among the most captivating features of the property. Through a small gate hidden among the greenery and along the outer perimeter path bordered by an ancient boxwood hedge, one reaches a fascinating green “labyrinth.” The path, winding through a grove of holm oaks and framed by low laurel hedges, leads to the evocative “Hermit’s Grotto,” dedicated to Saint Benignus, protector of young women of marriageable age, whose relics are preserved in the estate’s private chapel. A truly unique property where history, art, spirituality, and nature coexist in perfect harmony, offering a residence of remarkable exclusivity and cultural significance.