Villas in Lastra a Signa (Florence): Villa di Bellosguardo
Villa di Bellosguardo, which owes its name to the spectacular panorama it offers, is part of an estate the Pucci family acquired in 1540. However, due to some complex political affairs, only in 1585 did abbot Alessandro Pucci commissioned architect Giovanni Antonio Dosio to renovate the two buildings and to redesign the park.
One of the building was Pucci`s residence, whereas the other was destined for agricultural use. The two buildings were connected through a long wall. Both the interior and the exterior of the villa were completely decorated with frescoes by Giovanni Balducci, whereas the garden and the park were embellished with numerous statues representing various animals.
The villa belonged to the Pucci family until the end of the 19th century, then in 1906 the famous tenor Enrico Caruso bought it, fascinated by the panorama and the gorgeous park. Caruso commissioned architect Vittorio Sabatini to renovate the villa, which was then sumptuously furnished and embellished with numerous works of art.
After Caruso`s death, the villa has undergone several transfer of property until the Municipality of Lastra a Signa bought it in 1995.
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