The city of Reggello is in the province of Florence and here is the Castle of Sammezzanohistoric and valuable residence built by the Marquis Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes of Aragonm, who wanted to recreate his “dream of the east” between decorated rooms like the Alhambra in Granada or the palaces of Mughal India.
The castle of Sammezzano is closed to the public since 2016 due to the need for structural reinforcement and consolidation works.
Immediately the FAI and the FPXA Committee they worked to save this beautiful building characterized inside by such a particular and unique style, difficult to find in Italy.
Where is the Castle of Sammezzano?
The historic building is located exactly in Leccio, a hamlet of Regello, 30 km from Florence.
Perched on top of a hill, the fortress is immersed in a park; in the past it was a sighting site and hunting lodge for Florentine noble families, including the Medici.
Who built the Castle of Sammezzano
The structure of Cerro de Regello changed its physiognomy between 1842 and 1890 at the request of the rich marquis Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes d’Aragona, patron and lover of Florentine culture who wanted to reproduce their right here Sueño de Oriente, a villa that reminds us of its distant lands and the Orient.
The marquis took 40 years of his life to create this work that is inspired by thealhambra of Granada and the wonders of Mughal India.
The result is a Castle with 60 rooms richly decorated with stuccos, mirrors, decorations, domes, columns and light effects.
Orientalism in Florence
The architecture of the castle of Sammezzano is influenced by the cultural trend called Orientalismthat spread throughout Europe in the mid-19th century thanks to the spread of books and drawings from far away places in the East.
This residence, which was first a medieval fortress and then a hunting lodge, has become since 1842 a fusion of suggestions and references. to Indian, Persian and Moorish art.
The park around the Castle of Sammezzano
Around the building there is an ancient park that was built by order of the Marquis himself.
More than 60 hectares with more than 130 species of plants of exotic origins, such as the giant sequoia directly from North America.
Is it possible to visit the castle of Sammezzano today?
Unfortunately, the Castle has been permanently closed to the public for several years.
In fact, after the death of the marquis in 1897, the castle had a hectic life, passing from hand to hand, from property to property, until it too was looted by the Nazis during World War II.
In 1980 it became a luxury hotel and restaurant used for ceremonies but also for film sets. Since the end of 1900 there were changes of ownership and judicial auctions, until its abandonment in 2016.
So today the Castle is closed, useless and time is wearing it down.. It is now expected that this building will be able to access the allocated funds de Fai to the recovery and reuse of Italian historical heritage.
The fate of this building is close to the hearts of many, judging by the fact that, with reference to the census of Places in the heart of Faiit is in the first place among the places in Tuscany and in the 17th place in the national ranking.
Therefore, it is expected that it will soon undergo restructuring and that it will soon receive the public, events and film sets again.
How many rooms does the castle of Sammezzano have?
The news spread on the web that the castle has 365 rooms, one for each day of the year, is fake news. In fact It has about 60 rooms and the prettiest are on the main floor.
The room that BBC TV advertises is the peacock room It happens to have one of the most beautiful roofs in the world.
How to visit the Castle of Sammezzano
As mentioned, unfortunately it is not possible to access the Regello building since 2016 it is completely closed to the public.
In 2021 Fai exceptionally reopened it for just one day in the spring, but since then it has been closed and disused again.
