Villa medicea della Petraia

About the museum

La Petraia is one of the most fascinating Medici villas, for its position on the slopes of Monte Morello with a view over Florence, for its painted decorations and for its park. Since 2013 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage as one of the Medici villas and gardens of Tuscany. Shortly before the middle of the 16th century the villa passed to Cosimo I, who began the first works; it was then his son Ferdinando I who completely remodelled it, transforming the medieval building, resembling a turreted castle, into a model of the Tuscan country villa.

On the ground floor the courtyard was created, the heart of the building, with loggias frescoed in two cycles: the Gesta di Goffredo di Buglione by Cosimo Daddi and, in the 17th century, the Fasti Medicei by Volterrano. After Italian unification the villa became one of the favourite residences of Victor Emmanuel II and Rosa Vercellana. During that period the courtyard was turned into a ballroom, covered with glass and iron and lit by a large amethyst-coloured chandelier, and the apartments were refurnished with furnishings from the pre-unification royal palaces.

The formal garden to the south develops over three terraces (parterres, nursery and figurina) and preserves the 16th-century layout commissioned by Ferdinando I; to the north extends the 19th-century romantic park. In the ground-floor rooms are displayed the fourteen lunettes by Giusto Utens with the Medici villas, the Venere-Fiorenza by Giambologna and the bronze group of Hercules and Antaeus by Ammannati.

Highlights

• Covered courtyard turned into a ballroom, with frescoes by Volterrano
• Lunettes by Giusto Utens with the Medici villas
• Venere-Fiorenza by Giambologna
• Ercole e Anteo by Ammannati
• Formal terraced garden and romantic park
• Tower with a view over Florence

Permanent exhibitions

• Villa e appartamenti storici – Courtyard-ballroom and the apartments of Victor Emmanuel II, with furnishings from the pre-unification royal palaces, on the ground floor.
• Le lunette di Giusto Utens – The fourteen lunettes with views of the Medici villas, displayed in three ground-floor rooms since 2014.

Operated by

Direzione regionale Musei nazionali della Toscana

Visitors per year

approx. 27,788

Admission & discounts

The guided tour is included in the ticket. Reductions and free admission follow the rules for state museums.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

In the villa only the courtyard and the ground floor can be visited. Visiting the garden is very difficult for people with motor disabilities. Dogs and any other pets, of any size, are not allowed.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The villa stands on the slopes of Monte Morello, a few kilometres from the centre of Florence, at Via della Petraia 40.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The Ministry of Culture's portal lists catering and a bookshop among the services.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit