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Florenţa
History
The villa was originally a farmhouse owned by Matteo
Gamberelli, a stonemason, at the beginning of the
fifteenth century.
His sons Giovanni and Bernardo became famous
architects under the name of Rossellino. After
Bernardo's son sold it to Jacopo Riccialbani in 1597,
the house was greatly enlarged, then almost
completely rebuilt by the following owner, Zenobi
Lapi. Documents of his time mention a Limonia
(orangerie) and the turfed bowling green that is part
of the garden layout today.
In 1717 La Gamberaia passed to the Capponi
family. Andrea Capponi laid out the long
bowling green, planted cypresses, especially in
a long alley leading to the monumental
fountain enclosed within the bosco (wooded
area), and peopled the garden with statues.