Archive for 'Must See Attractions'

A photo posted by Architecture Interiors Design (@somewhereiwouldliketolive) on Jul 22, 2015 at 1:49pm PDT

Casa Saldarini, also affectionately known as “The Whale”, is an extraordinary house that was built in 1961 and designed by Florentine architect Vittorio Giorgini. It was the first building in the world based on an iso-elastic membrane made of concrete and wire netting and predates the work of architects such as Frank Gehry at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao by 25 years. The organic curves of the building created concerns about how structurally sound it was and, so, it was tested with double the normal amount of weight usually applied. It passed with flying colours and, yet, despite the advanced nature of the design and building techniques, the work was largely ignored by Giorgini's peers at the time.

Today, it remains as a bit of an unsung hero and hidden gem, an architectural masterpiece in the Gulf of Baratti that few have ever heard about. If you are an architecture nerd and are thinking of spending time in Tuscany, why not find a vacation rental in Piombino and stop by the Casa Saldarini to see this extraordinary building for yourself?

Giorgini was born in Florence in 1926 and studied architecture there, continuing to live in Tuscany until he moved to New York in 1969. He lived and taught there at the Pratt Institute until 1996 but his heart seems to have largely stayed in the land where he was born. As an architect, he was interested in the relationship between the built environment and nature and this is visible in the organic forms that his buildings took on. The environment that most inspired him was that of Baratti. At the time, it was an unknown and untouched area, far from the famous beaches of Tuscany. It was here that he built his own home, Hexagon House, in the midst of and at one with the natural environment of this incredibly lovely part of the world.

A small silk producer from Como, Rino Saldarini, also used to come to the area on holiday and he wanted a “cottage” looking out over the gulf. Having become his friend, Saldarini humoured his Giorgini and gave him a free hand in 1962 to create the Whale House. Constructed in a few months, with reinforced concrete crete cast over an arc welded mesh, it is a building of curves that resembles a huge animal, a whale. This zoomorphic construction is perfectly at ease in the Mediterranean maquis and has changed hands many times over the years but remains a constant surprising delight that some people are lucky enough to accidentally stumble upon and that others seek out. Be sure to be the latter on your next trip to Tuscany!

The Fattoria di Celle, or Celle Farm, located just 5km from Pistoia is a stunning attraction and fascinating place. While the property has roots to a building from as far back as 1000 AD, the house was built in the 17th century and present form of the gardens is owed to 19th century reconstructions and were further enhanced in the 1980s. It is this enriching of the gardens, with a sculpture park, that draws crowds of art-lovers, schools and more adventurous tourists to this place each year.

The sculpture park showcases 70 site-specific installations sprinkled across the vast family estate and was created by local businessman Giuliano Gori over three decades ago, yet still displays cutting-edge art installations by the world's top contemporary artists. Selected international artists have been to be invited to create installations in the remarkable outdoor spaces of the Romantic park and farmland as well as inside the historic villa and various farm buildings.

Pienza is a small village in the Val d'Orcia in southern Tuscany. Set high atop a hill, overlooking the Orcia Valley, it has extraordinary views, and is often known as the "ideal Renaissance city”.

The creation of the great humanist Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who later became Pope Pius II, the town was his birthplace, originally called Corsignano. He transformed it into his idea of a Utopian city, what would eventually come to be known as Pienza. If you want to wander the streets of an ideal town for yourself find a luxury villa in Pienza!

The Papal Palace, or Palazzo Piccolomini, is located to the right of the Duomo has a large loggia with hanging garden from which there are breathtaking views across the Val d'Orcia Valley. This is the highlight of the town, the garden in particular.

Chianti really is an incredibly picturesque part of the world and is known for this. It is a land of rolling hills, lush countryside, endless vineyards, charming and historic medieval hilltop towns and castles. Around every bend in the road, you are likely to discover a new and stunning vista, a characteristic town with plenty of charms and things going for it or a beautiful and historic architectural and cultural gem to explore.

One such example of this is the photogenic Abbazia di San Michele Arcangelo a Passignano, located near Florence. Just find a luxury villa in Chianti and explore this stunning Tuscan abbey for yourself.

Known as Badia a Passignana, the abbey is located on the road from Greve in Chianti to Sambuca in Chianti and belongs to the Benedictine Order of the Abbey of Vallombrosa. This picturesque monastic complex is readily identifiable by its romantic fortified towers on the corners and was founded in 1049 by San Giovanni Gualberto. Among the buildings that make up the complex, some of them are particularly lovely, such as the 12th century church of San Michele Arcangelo. This church has paintings by Domenico Crespi and is formed of a single nave on a Latin cross plan. It was rebuilt in the 16th, 18th and early 19th centuries and was the one part of the complex that remained under the care of the monks after the rest was sold off to the government in the 19th century. Another highlight of the abbey is the amazing major fresco of the “Last Supper” by the Ghirlandaio brothers.

Interestingly, the romantic defensive features that make the abbey so distinctive were actually added more recently, in the 19th century, by a private individual who purchased the estate from the government and are not actually original features. However, in October 1986, the Abbey of Passignano was restored to the Benedictine monks of Vallombrosa and is now occupied once more by a small community of Vallombrosan monks. It is these monks who will show you around and give you a tour of the estate today. The abbey can sometimes be visited on Sundays at 3 pm, with tours departing from the church. To avoid disappointment, ensure that the abbey is open on the Sunday you plan to visit it and make an appointment by calling +39 055 80 71 278.

To avoid the tourist crowds and explore a stunning and lesser-known cultural gem in Tuscany, pencil in a trip to the Abbey of Passignano.

The Palatine Gallery is located in the incredible and stunning Palazzo Pitti in Florence and is a private royal collection that was opened to the public by the House of Lorraine in 1828.

Today it still retains that typical layout of a private collection and is set within the elaborate and sumptuous setting of the palace, with the works remaining in their original rich picture frames.

It also has not be reorganised, as most such galleries and collections are, into any sort of thematic or chronological order. It, instead, merely reflects the tastes and whims of the people who originally formed the collection over time.

As a result, a visit to this gallery is a very different experience than most other museums around the world will offer. It is also quite refreshing. Instead of feeling as though you need to be on your toes and keeping history and progress firmly unwind, you can merely relax and enjoy the collection as it unfolds. The collection invites us to enjoy, rather than merely categorise and label things. Just find a vacation rental in Florence and you can experience this unique gallery for yourself on your next trip to the city.