This 16th Century Tuscan Villa Was Once The Home of The Mona Lisa
Accessible by a long cypress-lined driveway, this gorgeous hilltop villa is located just 3 miles from Florence, set in the infamous Tuscan wine region of Chianti.
Luxurious in size and style, the villa is spread across three levels with elegant living rooms, kitchens, 14 bedrooms including one with a panoramic veranda, 15 bathrooms, a library, a gym, and a large terrace in the clocktower with views of the Florence plain.
The historic villa has been restored over the years and features fine period detail throughout its 30,000 square feet of interior space.
The villa is set in 66 acres of parkland with tree-lined alleys, vineyards and olive groves - there’s also a lemon conservatory, in addition to various outbuildings. The property also includes a tennis court and a swimming pool.
But what truly sets this villa apart is its historic pedigree.
The property’s fascinating history predates even this incredible cultural reference: in the 14th century its resident was Baldo d’Auguglione, who was involved in the exile of the poet philosopher, Dante, from Florence —he was cited twice as the villain in Dante’s Divine Comedy.
In the 16th century, Villa Antinori Di Monte Aguglioni belonged to the Del Giocondo family and in 1505, Leonard da Vinci was commissioned to paint a portait of the the wife of Francesco Del Giocondo.
The Mona Lisa, Wikicommons
Famous world-wide, the “The Mona Liaa”, formerly known as La Giaconda, has been on display at the Louvre in Paris since the late 1700s.
In 1928, the villa was purchased by the Antinori family, who had been producing wine in Italy beginning in 1385 when their ancestor Giovani di Piero became a member of the “Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri” (the Florentine Winemakers’ Guild).
It was the Marquise Nathalie Antinori who was responsible for tastefully renovating and restoring the villa in the early 20th century. She enlisted her brother, architect Egisto Fabbri to restore the villa’s facade and add the clock tower.
She also enlisted English architect Cecil Pinsent to design the Italian gardens which surround the home.
Two views of the Villa Antinori; the picture below represents Egisto Fabbri's remodeling.
Source: Rootsweb
According to Piero Antinori’s family history, (The Hills of Chianti: The Story of a Tuscan Winemaking Family, in Seven Bottles,
published in 2014), it was Nathalie’s sister, Ernestina Ludolf, who drew the villa’s facade for use on the wine label, a novel concept in Italy at the time, but a rival to France’s wines.
One of the biggest wine companies in Italy today, Villa Antinori wine can be found in the most prestigious cellars around the world.
The Antinori family sold the property to a prominent family of Florentine industrialists in the late 1940s, although you may recognize the iconic facade and double staircase from the label of the famous Chianti Classico wine, Villa Antinori.
Just 3 miles from the historic center of Florence, Villa Antinori di Monte Aguglioni is one of the most excpetional properties in the Tuscan countryside.
All photos belong to the listing agency.
