HISTORY
Built in the second half of the sixteenth century by the Bettini family, Villa
Le Maschere was later acquired by the Florentine Gerini family, who began to enlarge
and restructure the house, and to reorganise the park with new avenues and an
Italian style garden. At the end of the seventeenth century the villa was remodelled
by Giovanni Battista Foggini, chief architect and sculptor to the court of the
Grandduke of Tuscany Cosimo III de’ Medici. Foggini’s most famous works include
statues at the churches of the Carmine and Santissima Annunziata in Florence,
but he was also responsible for renovations at many Florentine palaces including
the grand staircase at Palazzo Medici-Riccardi.
By the 18th and 19th centuries Villa Le Maschere was considered one of the most
beautiful Tuscan villas. Le Maschere was a favourite stop for popes (Pius IX in
1857), sovereigns (Carlo Emanuele IV King of Sardinia in 1801, King Carlo Felice
in 1821), as well as many renowned noblemen and artists.
Read more about the history of the villa. >>
