This building is indeed a synthesis of the splendour, refinement and elegance present in all the Villas of Lucca.From the end of the monumental avenue, flanked by century old cypress trees, a clear perspective of the ornate façade of the villa can be obtained through the very decorative wrought-iron gate. Outside the villa a fortified village, French style, was built with look-out towers at each corner. It was infact called Borgo Parigi, i.e. Paris Village, and housed the gardeners and farmers who worked the land outside the enclosure walls of the estate as the land within the walls was landscaped in an elegant and stately fashion. The so-called "di Flora" garden, second only to the gardens of Villa Garzoni in Collodi, bears witness to the excellent taste that the Lucchese landscapers were renowned for.
It is such a pity that only part of the magnificient layout remains as this garden is a result of the sectioning of the secret garden in the 1500's . Thanks to the play on levels and to the beautiful architecture which graces the garden, the visitor is led into a tiny charming world of flowers, herbs and waterworks where that magical sensation of feeling enclosed yet never restricted pervades. Grottoes, water-lily ponds, grotesque sculptures, carefully selected rough and rugged materials all contribute to that fairy tale atmosphere which enthralls the visitor whose attention in the past was further captivated by the stunning waterworks, the hidden surprises and the fascinating perspectives. The original building dates back to the mid 1500's and was probably the Villa Buonvisi mentioned in the records of the trial for the murder of Lelio Buonvisi in 1593. Muzio Oddi carried out major work on the building a century later in line with Villa Mansi.
The yellow tufa and grey stone brighten the composite
façade and highlight the marble statues in the niches . Decoration triumphs thanks to the
work of a non-Lucchese architect Alfonso Torreggiani from Bologna. The audacity of the
then avant-garde commissioner,who agreed to the renovations, Nicolao Santini, a noble
knight who travelled extensively and had relations with Paris, must also be recognised,
along with that of his grandson Cesare Santini "a very kind gentleman who was well
accepted in Lucca". The interior of the villa is quite stunning; it is heavily
adorned with pinchbeck, friezes and baroque ornaments but softened by Vincenzo Dandini's
paintings and by the fine decorations carried out by Piero Scorzini from Lucca. The two
staircases and rounded walls are indeed breathtaking both for their design and effect and
the lighting from above enhances the whole. The avenue continues into the cultivated hills
to the rear of the villa, an indication of how cultivating the land was always an integral
part of villa life. From the tree-lined avenue, framed in seven hundred century-old
cypress trees,the view of the multicoloured façade of the villa is indeed spectacular and
it is well worth leaving your car to walk up the avenue and enjoy this magnificient sight.
POSITION
Villa Torrigiani (14 Km from Lucca) Camigliano
INFORMATION
For information: Tel 0583/928008
Visits include Villa and garden
Open from 1st march to 5th november
From 10.00 till 12.00 and 15.00 till 18.00