The history of the villa is tempestuous. Isabella de’ Medici was believed to have been killed here by her husband, who suspected her of infidelity. Villa Medicea was constructed on the orders of Cosimo I between 1565 and 1567. It was part of a project that also involved Buontalenti, who constructed the massive staircases that rise to the top of the villa, giving it an almost fortified appearance. During the WWII it was used for military purposes and, since being acquired by the state, the villa has been restored and converted into a museum.
