The Power-Pleasing Manse': Abbot Alessandro Pucci's Villa

Erected in 1541, by the skilful hands of architect Giovanni Antonio Dosio, the manse - a relic of Abbot Alessandro Pucci's reign - is a spectacle echoing the manierist beliefs of the time. The external and internal ornaments are the crafty compositions of Giovanni Balducci, known as the Cosci, Sandro Laschi, and Romolo del Tadda. The garden, a commission by Alessandro Pucci given to Tribolo in 1541, serves as an outstanding sample of a late-Renaissance Tuscan garden.

Expanded in 1672 by Roberto di Giulio Pucci with baroque elements, this historic manse remained in the Pucci family until 1858. It was then seized by Giuseppe Campi and his lineage until Enrico Caruso aquired it in 1906. He saw to its restoration, enriching it with a plethora of artworks and structural alterations. Today, the villa is the property of the comune of Lastra a Signa, managed by the Associazione Villa Caruso, which endeavours its preservation by organizing concerts, performances, exhibitions, and guided tours.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons