The historic garden of Villa La Quiete has opened to the public for the first time in its nearly 300-year history. The inauguration marks the University of Florence’s centennial celebrations and reveals a long-hidden jewel of Medici history and landscape architecture.
The garden, a rare surviving example of 18th-century Medici design, was created between 1724 and 1727 at the behest of Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, the last descendant of the Florentine dynasty. She envisioned the garden as a green refuge for the villa and its adjacent girls’ conservatory.
Thanks to extensive restoration work led by the University of Florence and funded by Italy’s Ministry of Culture with European Union support via the NextGenerationEU program (PNRR), the garden has been carefully returned to its original splendor. The project received a grant of €1.8 million, allowing for both botanical and architectural restoration, including the repair of historic fountains, stone seating, terraces, and decorative elements.
Villa La Quiete, located in the hills of Florence, has a rich history intertwined with Medici women. Figures such as Cristina of Lorraine, Vittoria Della Rovere, and especially Anna Maria Luisa, made the villa a favoured residence. From the 17th to the early 20th century, it also hosted the Montalve, one of Europe’s most progressive lay congregations dedicated to the education of young noblewomen.
The newly reopened garden retains its original Baroque structure, featuring ten geometric flower beds, two main intersecting pathways, and a central pool. Signature elements include the “Samaritan Woman” and “Noli Me Tangere” fountains, a grotto with cascading water features, and terracotta vases from Impruneta. An adjoining ragnaia—a tree-lined enclosure once used for bird hunting—offers shaded green rooms for relaxation.
Regional President Eugenio Giani hailed the project as “a testament to what can be achieved when culture is supported by vision and resources.” Florence Mayor Sara Funaro emphasized the garden’s connection to Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, whose commitment to preserving Florentine art left a lasting legacy.
The garden will be open to the public on weekends through October, with guided tours available by reservation. Special family-friendly activities and thematic visits focused on the Electress Palatine will also be offered.
