Villa medicea di Poggio a Caiano

About the museum

The villa at Poggio a Caiano was designed by Giuliano da Sangallo for Lorenzo the Magnificent as a model of Renaissance architecture, able to combine the lessons of antiquity, particularly of Vitruvius, with elements of Tuscan rural architecture. Placed on the summit of the hill and raised on a platform portico, it opens onto the landscape and reflects the influence of Leon Battista Alberti in the choice of site and in the search for symmetry and proportion. Construction began around the mid-1480s and continued until Lorenzo's death in 1492; work resumed in 1512 under his son Giovanni, who became Pope Leo X, and was completed towards the end of the second decade of the 16th century.

The façade and portico have classical decorations, with the Medici coat of arms on the pediment and a frieze in polychrome glazed terracotta. After the Medici and the Lorraine, in the 19th century the villa was the residence of Elisa Baciocchi, Napoleon's sister, and then, in the years when Florence was capital of the Kingdom of Italy (1865–1871), it was renovated by Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy, who made it one of his country residences. In 2013 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the group of Medici villas and gardens in Tuscany.

On the piano nobile is the Sala di Leone X, with one of the most important cycles of 16th-century Tuscan frescoes, by Pontormo, Andrea del Sarto, Franciabigio and Alessandro Allori. On the second floor is the Museo della Natura Morta, with about 200 paintings from the Medici collections, currently temporarily closed. Outside extend the garden and the park, with the large 19th-century limonaia (lemon house) and the 16th-century stables.

Highlights

• Sala di Leone X with frescoes by Pontormo, Andrea del Sarto, Franciabigio and Allori
• Renaissance villa by Giuliano da Sangallo for Lorenzo the Magnificent
• UNESCO World Heritage Site as a Medici villa and garden
• Museo della Natura Morta with about 200 paintings (temporarily closed)
• Park with 19th-century limonaia and 16th-century stables

Permanent exhibitions

• Appartamenti della villa e Sala di Leone X – Guided visit of the villa's piano nobile, with the Sala di Leone X and the 16th-century fresco cycle by Pontormo, Andrea del Sarto, Franciabigio and Allori.
• Museo della Natura Morta – On the second floor about 200 still-life paintings are displayed, largely from the Medici collections; the museum is temporarily closed.

Founded

1480

Operated by

Ministero della Cultura – Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Toscana

Admission & discounts

Free admission under the current regulations; ticket office staff check eligibility. Tickets are bought online through CoopCulture.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• 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

Inside the villa there are facilities for people with disabilities; the garden route presents difficulties.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum services: bookshop, guides and catalogues.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit