Villa ‘Il Ventaglio’ Park

In the XV century, this park hosted an inn which offered pilgrims traveling from Porta a Pinti to San Domenico di Fiesole the chance to eat and rest. Subsequently, the estate passed through the hands of many important Florentine dynasties like the Brancacci and Salvetti families, who transformed the building into a into a ‘House for lords and workers’. The latter kept ownership of the building until the seventeenth century, when it became property of the Bardi family. The park was further modified in the eighteenth century when Giuseppe Poggi headed its restoration process from 1839 to 1853. Said project was commissioned by Giuseppe Archinto, a nobleman from Milan. In 1862, the park and its villa were sold to Aristide Castelli and in 1969 they became property of the state.

The villa currently serves as headquarters to the International University of Art and its park—now destined for public use—is a historical garden managed by the Superintendent’s office of Florence’s Architectural Heritage. This magical, evocative garden hosts numerous species of flora including many varieties of trees and flowers.

Opening hours: From November to February – 8.15am to 4.30pm; in March – 8.15am to 5.30pm (during daylight savings’ time 8.15am to 6.30pm); from April to May – 8.15am to 6.30pm; from June to August – 8.15am to 7.30pm; from September to October – 8.15am to 6.30pm (with daylight savings’ time 8.15am to 5.30pm); closed Mondays
Admission: free
Handicap access: yes
Contact information:
Via G. Aldini n.10/12 12 – FLORENCE
tel. 055/580283