The Villa di Pratolino was a Renaissance patrician villa in Vaglia, Tuscany, Italy. It was mostly demolished in 1822. Its remains are now part of the Villa Demidoff, 12 km north of Florence, reached from the main road to Bologna.
Pratolino, the lower half of the garden, by Giusto Utens, 1599 (Museo Topografico, Florence)
The "Apennine Colossus" in its niche
The "Apennine Colossus" by Giambologna
The park and Villa Demidoff, which is the restored Paggeria of Villa di Pratolino.
The Medici villas are a series of rural building complexes in Tuscany which were owned by members of the Medici family between the 15th century and the 17th century. The villas served several functions: they were the country palaces of the Medici, scattered over the territory that they ruled, demonstrating their power and wealth. They were also recreational resorts for the leisure and pleasure of their owners; and, more prosaically, they were the centre of agricultural activities on the surrounding estates. In 2013, the Medici villas were added to UNESCO's World Heritage list.
Medici villa of Fiesole (1457)
Painting of the Villa Medici di Poggio a Caiano by Giusto Utens
Frontal view of the Villa La Petraia