Villa del Poggio Imperiale

The Villa di Poggio Imperiale is a former Medici villa on the hill of Arcetri in Florence, close to the scenic road Viale dei Colli. The expanded many times, building now serves school purposes.

The estate was first called Poggio Baroncelli, according to its owners, who sold in 1548 to the Salviati. Grand Duke Cosimo I de ' Medici was 1565 expropriate the Medici opponents Alessandro Salviati and gave it to his daughter Isabella and her husband Paolo Giordano Orsini. From 1618 it was owned by Maria Magdalena of Austria, sister of Emperor Ferdinand II, and wife of Cosimo II de ' Medici. They had rebuilt the building generously by Giulio Parigi and expand. Since 1624 the castle is, therefore Poggio imperial. Are from this period frescoes by Matteo Rosselli and his students, some with references to the House of Austria. Also Vittoria della Rovere, wife of Ferdinando II de ' Medici was here make as the owner of Giacinto Maria Marmi 1681-1683 conversions.

Under the Habsburg Grand Dukes, the city near castle became important.

From this time the paintings by Gaspare Paoletti, Antonio Cioci, Gesualdo and Filippo Ferri Tarchiani and oriental tapestries come. On April 2, 1770 the young Mozart concerted here. At the beginning of the 19th century ( until 1820 ) won the palace its present externally neoclassical shape - Architect Pasquale was Poccianti. Since 1865, the building serves educational purposes, first as a girls' boarding school, coeducational today.