リニャーノ・スラルノの洞窟・トップ13

An ancient late medieval manor house that long belonged to the Guidi Counts. Mentioned and documented as early as the 11th century. It then passed to other owners, such as the Abbey of San Fedele, which later ceded it to the Cerchi family. From them, following internal struggles for control of Florence, the property passed to the Albizzi family, their allies, who in the 13th/14th centuries transformed and enriched it into a splendid fortified country residence, a gathering place for many artists and writers. In the second half of the 19th century, following the death of the bachelor Vittorio Albizzi, the property passed to his sister Leonia, wife of the Marquis Angelo Frescobaldi. Their family still owns it today. The current appearance of the ancient manor house is different from its original structure, as, following the explosion of German mines, the imposing main tower that overlooked the keep collapsed, destroying a large part of the Castle Church, dedicated to San Niccolò, which was located beneath the walls. The church was later renovated; but the tower was never rebuilt.

As a plant expert and botany enthusiast, Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes d’Aragona designed the large green area surrounding Sammezzano Castle, approximately 65 hectares, which constitutes the current Historic Park. Around the ancient "ragnaia" (woodland) formed by a high forest of holm oaks, Ferdinando decided to place numerous rare and exotic plants. Their purpose was to serve the dual purpose of beautifying the exterior and gradually introducing visitors and guests to the wonders of the "Moorish" style of the Villa-Castle of Sammezzano. Among the exotic species introduced by Ferdinando, the most well-known are undoubtedly the majestic sequoias (Sequoia sempervirens and Sequoia gigantea), which, as demonstrated by the remarkable size they reached in just 150 years, certainly found the geological, soil, and climatic conditions favorable to their growth. Among these, the so-called "twin sequoia" stands out, as its trunk forks into two enormous vertical branches a few meters from the base. It is almost 54 meters tall and, with a circumference of 837 centimeters, the tallest sequoia in Italy. It is not only one of Italy's monumental trees, but also one of the select group of "150 trees of exceptional environmental or monumental value."

A dive into the past

Beautiful easy hike. Tuscany as it should be

In the forest with the largest number of sequoias in Italy, these two fascinating specimens grew side by side. An information sign indicates that their circumference exceeds 8 metres, but at least 5/6 people are needed to hug them

Castle surrounded by a park built between the 16th and 19th centuries, in a rare orientalist style. A precious gem of the territory.

Sammezzano Castle is a splendid and particular residence in the province of Florence. Wanted by the Marquis Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes of Aragon in the 19th century, he enriched it with exotic and imaginative decorations. It is surrounded by a vast park, where you can admire rare and monumental plants, such as sequoias.

A bit neglected, but it shows the splendor of bygone times. An absolute gem!