VILLA REALE DI CASTELLO 



This villa belonged to the de' Medici family some time before they 

 became Grand Dukes of Tuscany, and was one of their favourite 

 residences. 



So rarely have we the good fortune to possess a coherent and detailed 

 account of an Italian villa by a contemporary hand, that I make no 

 apology for transcribing freely from Vasari's interesting description ot 

 this villa, which was laid out and beautified by men personally known to 

 him. 



" The Villa di Castello lies at the roots of the Monte Morello, and 

 beneath the Villa della Topaia, which is situate about half-way up the 

 acclivity; it has before it a plain which descends very gradually, and 

 within the space of about a mile and a half, to the River Arno. It is 

 exactly at the point where the ascent of the hill commences from this 

 plain that the palace is situate, that edifice having been originally erected, 

 after a very good design, by Pier Francesco de' Medici. 



" The principal front is turned to the south and looks over extensive 

 lawns or meadows, within which are two large ponds of running water, 

 the latter coming from an ancient aqueduct made by the Romans for 

 the purpose of bringing water from Valdimarina to Florence, where the 

 vaulted reservoir of the same is to be found. Thus situate, the palace has 

 an exceedingly agreeable and even beautiful view; the waters before it are 

 divided by a bridge twelve bracua wide, which leads to an avenue of the 

 same width, formed by mulberry trees, covering it closely on both sides 

 and rising to a height of ten braccia, insomuch that they form a vault 

 overhead, beneath which you may walk for three hundred braccia in the 



89 M 



