History of Villa Zingale Villa
Paterno, Villa Poggiolo and
Villa Antica |
Typically, country villas were owned by wealthy families
to escape from the summer heat of their palaces in the cities.
Valuing the clean air, fresh spring water and sunshine that
provided them with fresh fruits and vegetables and pure living,
entire households would move to their summer villa - nearby,
but a world away from the chaos of the city.
Villa Zingale's property encompasses 850 acres of grapevines,
olive trees, wooded hillsides and seven other villas as part
of the estate. From 1992 to the present, complete restoration
of three of those, Villa Paterno, Villa Poggiolo and Villa
Antica has occurred. One of the later owners of Villa Zingale's
estate in the 1800's was Anna Rilli-Orsini whose husband's
family, Passerini, inherited the villa from Camilla Vitale
de Medici. Her brother, Lorenzo Passerini, is credited with
the building of the seven other villas on the property of
Villa Zingale, dating them to 1641. Villa Paterno and Villa
Poggiolo were built then, making them more than 350 years
old, while Villa Antica dates approximately from the year
1000.
The history of Villa Zingale is vast and illustrious. Etruscan
relics have been found in the area. Roman legions built the
road in front of Villa Zingale. History records that a gallery
connected Villa Zingale's tower with the fortress castle San
Leolino, which is where Hannibal and his armies camped during
their march through Tuscany around 217 B.C.. Something has
stood on the site of the villa since the year 1000.
Handwritten archival documents tracing the families of the
owners of the Villa Zingale include names from many of the
aristocratic families of Florence. Tax documents record the
names of Strozzi, Medici, Corsini, Gallo-Tassi and Passerini.
Lineage charts of the Passerini family include cardinals whose
careers brought service as personal secretaries, treasurers,
and general to popes, including the Medici popes Leo X and
Clement VII. Also the Popes Eugene IV, Paul II, Pius VI and
Pius VII.
Interspersed in the history of the renaissance we also find
the history of the Passerini family as very close associates
and valued patrons of the artist Michelangelo, Vasari, Andrea
Del Sarto and Rafaello. All were commissioned for works to
glorify and decorate the chapels, churches, palaces and villas
of the Passerini and Medici families in Rome, Arezzo, Cortona,
Florence and the Mugello Valley which is where Villa Zingale
is located.
A chapel within the walls of Villa Zingale bears a plaque
indicating the dedication of the chapel by Pope Pius VI in
1793. Ancestral portraits of inhabitants of Villa Zingale
in the 1700's adorn the walls - people referred to in lineage
charts of the Passerini. Throughout all of its history, powerful
positions in government and church were part of the Passerini
legacy. Luckily members of the Passerini Rilli-Orsini family
valued their history and recorded the lineage and origins
from the year 1084 and the Zingale family has been fortunate
to have access to these root beginnings to help in their search.
The search continues....
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For
More Information
On Availability & Pricing
Please Call 1-800-450-1555
Outside of North America Call 216-464-7780 |
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