Sammezzano, the castle starts a new chapter after decades of neglect

Restoration and safety works have officially begun at the Castello di Sammezzano, a 19th-century oriental-style castle located in the hills of Reggello, about 30 kilometres south-east of Florence. After decades of legal disputes and abandonment, the site has entered a new phase following its purchase last spring by the Florentine Moretti family.

The start of the project became publicly visible in mid-July, when the castle’s façade was illuminated with the colours of the Italian flag, symbolically marking the return of activity to the long-closed estate. Ownership of the main building, together with around ten related structures including former farmhouses, ice houses, bridges and rural buildings, has passed to SMZ Srl, a company controlled by Ginevra Moretti.

A rare example of oriental architecture in Europe

Sammezzano is considered unique in Italy for its eclectic and orientalising style. The current appearance of the castle is the result of a vast 19th-century transformation of an earlier rural complex built in 1605. Between 1843 and 1889, the property was radically redesigned by Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes d’Aragona, who created an extraordinary sequence of richly decorated rooms inspired by Islamic, Moorish and Asian architecture.

The interiors feature polychrome mosaics, intricate stuccoes, domes, arches and symbolic inscriptions in Italian and Latin, making Sammezzano one of the most distinctive historic buildings in Tuscany. The castle has an internal surface of around 5,500 square metres.

A monumental park of 65 hectares

Alongside the building, the estate includes a monumental park covering about 65 hectares. Created in the 19th century, the park hosts more than 140 plant species, including palms, sequoias, cedars and exotic trees that were rare in Italy at the time. The landscape design was conceived as an integral part of the architectural project and remains one of the largest historic parks in the region.

The new owners have indicated that particular attention will be paid to the botanical and forest areas, which have suffered from years of lack of maintenance.

From abandonment to recovery

After the Second World War, during which the complex suffered damage and looting, Sammezzano experienced a long and troubled period. In the 1970s it was converted into a hotel and restaurant, which closed in 1990. Subsequent failed redevelopment projects left the castle empty and increasingly deteriorated.

For years, the site became a symbol of abandoned heritage in Tuscany, prompting repeated appeals from local associations and citizens. Among them, the Save Sammezzano movement has campaigned since 2015 to keep public attention on the castle and push for its preservation.

Opening the site to the public

According to the new ownership, the initial phase of works focuses on securing the structures and preventing further decay. The longer-term objective is to restore the monumental floor of the castle and reopen both the interiors and the historic park to the public, with a museum function at the core of the project.

The plan also envisages limited hospitality and cultural activities, intended to support the economic sustainability of the site while respecting its historic and environmental value. The project is being developed in coordination with the Italian heritage authorities and the local municipality.

A project with strong symbolic value

The restart of works at Sammezzano is widely seen as a significant moment for heritage protection in Tuscany. For many residents and observers, the return of activity to the site represents the end of one of the region’s longest-running cases of neglected cultural property.

As restoration progresses, attention will now focus on timelines, public access and the balance between conservation and new uses. For the first time in decades, however, the future of Sammezzano appears to be moving from uncertainty towards a concrete path of recovery.

(Cover photo: archive image by Alessandro Frignani, via sammezzano.info, other photos via sammezzano.info)

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