The Park of Poggio Valicaia is set in the hills to the south west of Florence in the municipality of Scandicci. It was once an extensive, privately-owned farm but when it was donated to the town, it was turned into a public park. To begin with it was only used for day-trips and picnics, but in 2003, with the installation of works by contemporary artists, it became a museum park.
The area itself is vast, and splendidly characterises the hills that gird Florence. It features a network of footpaths., a picnic area, its own lake and an olive grove that produces oil which, together with honey, is the Park’s own produce.
The Park features many species of fauna that include squirrel, wild boar, badger, hare, porcupine, fox, hedgehog and weasel, as well as night birds of prey like little-owl, tawny-owl and barn-owl.
Poggio Valicaia heightened its appeal when works of art began to be set amidst the trees and in the meadows, the aim being to enhance the heritage with the addition of landscape art and architecture, giving it a dimension of contemporary culture.
The works on show in Poggio Valicaia were created by leading environmental artists and open-air sculptors: Dario Bartolini, Italo Zuffi, Maria Dompé, Paolo Staccioli, Valentino Moradei.
The museum park is one of a network for the promotion and awareness of environmental art in partnership with the Yorkshire Sculpture Park of Wakefield; the Skulpturlandskap of Bode and the Kroeller Mueller Museum of Oetterlo.
Hours:
November thru’ February: Saturdays and Sundays 9 am to 4.30 pm;
March and October: Wednesday thru’ Sunday 9 am to 6 pm;
April: Wednesday thru’ Sunday 9 am to 8 pm;
May and September: Tuesday thru’ Sunday 9 am to 8 pm;
June thru’ August: Tuesday thru’ Sunday 8.30 am to 9 pm.
via Poggiona 6/a – Scandicci, Phone: 055 768885.
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