Villa Celsa was built as a defensive stronghold of the Republic of Siena and has in fact maintained the form of a castle, even though the southern tower is the sole original element left.

In the 16t century, Mino Celsi commissioned Baldassarre Peruzzi to transform the ancient castle in a villa. Peruzzi designed the round chapel at the end of the approach to the villa.

After having been destroyed in 1554 by Charles V`s army, the complex was restored in the 17th century. At the same time, works began for the realisation of a grand Baroque garden, which was then left unfinished.

The Chigi family acquired the villa in 1802 and transformed it into a Neo-gothic manor-house, whereas at the beginning of the 20th century the Aldobrandini family had both the building and the garden renovated.

Topiary has been largely used in the garden: the box hedges in eight flower borders have been cut so as to reproduce the coat of arm of the Aldobrandini family, whereas the cypress hedges have been modelled in the form of undulated parapets.

The fish-pond is decorated with statues representing sea deities and dragons on a spongy background, whereas a porous stone niche at the end of one of the paths leading to the fish-pond is decorated with a marble bas-relief representing Jesus` birth.