Via Beato Angelico, 2
50014 Fiesole, Florence
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Synopsis:

The Villa Medici at Fiesole was one of the earliest Renaissance villas built by the Medici family. It is perhaps the first true villa in the Roman style to be built during the Renaissance, closely following the guidelines for villa design laid out by Alberti, who in turn took much of his work from the Roman author Vitruvius. The designer of the villa is unknown. It has been traditionally credited to Michelozzo Michelozzi, though recent research has suggested that Alberti himself may have been the designer.

The villa quickly became a favored retreat of the Medici family, as well as many other Florentine elite. It was probably the site of Cosimo de Medici's Platonic Academy, a gathering of humanist scholars who met to discuss issues of politics, science and the arts.