House buy in San Gimignano Tuscany

The property is located along the ancient Via Francigena, in a panoramic position, and consists of a 17th century manor house and its ancient rural village, surrounded by 12 hectares of land with a hunting reserve and two lakes. The historical events of the Borgo are part of the wider context of a territory that faces the areas of Florentine, Pisan and Sienese influence at the same time. In ancient times it was certainly a "land of passage" for the Etruscans, being on the directrix and in the domain of Volterra; for the Romans, in relation to the Via Clodio between Siena and Lucca. In the early Middle Ages it was for travelers who traveled the Via Francigena. The original property encompassed thousands of hectares and stretched from the Era River to the Elsa River. Over the centuries, the Borgo became a model farm, but this was not enough to preserve it from the dismemberment that inexorably took place until 1998, when the renovation by the current owners restored its ancient beauty to the estate. The total area is 120 hectares, and is substantially divided into two distinct urban portions, one mainly for residential use and one for agricultural use, even if not physically separated from each other, of which 60 hectares are wooded, 55 arable land as well as about 1.000 olive trees, 1 Ha dedicated to the cultivation of lavender and 1 Ha of Pinot Noir vineyard. The Villa was built in 1600 by the senatorial family of the Rinuccini of Florence, both to live there in the hottest months of the year, and for the administration of the possessions they had purchased. Currently the main building, with an adjacent secondary body, houses 4 real estate units for an area of approximately 1.600 square meters set in a panoramic position framing the small rural village that surrounds it. The rooms respect the style of the noble Tuscan residences, large and bright halls with original terracotta floors and coffered or vaulted ceilings. The villa is internally divided as follows: Ground floor: 2 living rooms, 1 dining room, 1 kitchen, 1 bathroom and other services available 1st floor: 8 double bedrooms and 8 bathrooms 2nd floor: Attic used as a storage room Basement: Reception hall with cross vaults and 2 bathrooms Outdoor spaces: Garden, centuries-old park and private swimming pool (10 x 6 m) Inside the Borgo there are 15 other apartments spread over 5 farmhouses with typical Tuscan architectures, a reception area with technical rooms and a warehouse accompanying the natural hunting reserve overlooking the hills of Volterra. The property includes three swimming pools serving the Villa and the farmhouses and two lakes, the largest of about 8.000 square meters and the other of about 1.000 square meters with beautiful water lilies. San Gimignano experienced its most flourishing period in the Middle Ages due to the fact that it was crossed by the Via Francigena, one of the main communication routes of the time. The town soon became a point of reference for numerous merchants, travellers and pilgrims. The town became embroiled in struggles between the Guelphs and Ghibellines and while the area resisted all kinds of adversities, it managed to enrich itself considerably and saw 1200 as the year of its greatest economic development. With a historic center characterized by medieval architecture, San Gimignano is famous above all for the seventy towers built by the richest families of the time. The fourteen that remain characterize the city center as they tower above the suggestive panorama of the endless green hills dotted with villages, vineyards and olive groves. A small pearl of the province of Siena, the town was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1990. In addition to its history and culture expressed by the monuments, it also has excellent local products such as saffron and Vernaccia di San Gimignano, an excellent local white wine. San Gimignano 6 Km ? Certaldo 10 Km ? Volterra 15 Km - Firenze 55 km - Siena 57 km - Lucca 68 km - Pisa 70 km Ref: 37122-IB225