The Villa

One of the most beautiful historic private houses in Tuscany.
A journey through elegance and charme, a few steps away from Lucca.

The Villa

One of the most beautiful historic private houses in Tuscany.
A journey through elegance and charme, a few steps away from Lucca.

1. History

Built on an already existing building dated 1412, it belonged from the very beginning of the XVI century to the powerful family Diodati, merchants from Lucca.
Their coat of arms, in grey stone of Matraia, still hangs on the nothern façade of the Villa.
During this period the Villa assumed a Renaissance style, which is still visible in the open gallery with three arcades of the ground floor.

However, it was only with the following owners that it took on the Neoclassical look still preserved today.
From mid-1600 to mid-1800, the Villa was owned first by the Counts Orsetti, then by the Marquises Cittadella and, in the end, it was bought in 1868 by the german financier Rodolfo Schwartze, married to Carolina Grabau.
Thanks to Carolina's passion and to the continuous trades with Lucca's Botanical Garden, the Park was enriched with many botanical rarities still existing today.
Carolina's sister, Costanza, had married the Baron Wilhelm Hüffer, a wealthy businessman that was living with her between Rome, Paris and Lucca, where they had bought the neighbouring Villa Diodati. Carolina's brother, Carlo Luigi or “Lodovico”, was living in the family estate in Palmata: refined and cultured man, he was a respected painter friend of many “Macchiaioli” (a famous group of painters active in Tuscany in the second half of the XIX century). Their father, Carlo Grabau, a wealthy banker and ship owner from Hamburg, had moved to Livorno in the early years of 1800 to follow his business and with the role of General Consul of the North Sea Hanseatic Cities for the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
In Italy he met and married Enrichetta Inghirami, from an ancient aristocratic family of Volterra. The Schwartze did not have any children and the Villa was inherited by Carolina's nephew, Marcello Grabau, married to Francesca Cenami Spada, from the important aristocratic family of Lucca.

Villa Grabau is still owned by the same family today.

Learn more about the history of Villa Grabau in the Wikipedia page

2. Architecture

Placed at the foot of the Pizzorne Mountains, Villa Grabau was built in an ideal position: bordering upon plane and hill, it has its main front facing the valley and enjoying the spacious view on the city of Lucca.
The original Renaissance look has not been upset by the considerable transformations that followed one another between the XVII and XIX century.
We find the first representation of the Villa in an unpublished valuation land-register dated 1550: like today, the building appeared as a three storied house, keeping, however, still archaic characteristics such as the mullioned windows and a dovecot embattled tower.
This land-register gives us a certain date ante quem for the construction of the Villa, but we do not know when the building assumed the final Renaissance look.

Beyond the hesitant Neoclassical shade, that at a first glance today looks prominent, we can definitely state that the Villa maintains its original characters from the XVI century: the alignment between the hall and the loggia, the opening of seven windows for each floor, the interior wall's decoration and the creation of the hip-roof instead of the original sloping one.

During the XIX century the Villa assumed a Neoclassical look, as well as it had happened in the neighbouring Villa Reale of Marlia, after the intervention of Napoleon's sister, Elisa Baciocchi. On the ground floor, the large open loggia facing south was closed with glass window frames and “Trompe l'œil” curtains were painted on the walls, together with Frescoes representing dancing nymphs and geometrical designs, all in Neoclassical taste. It was then obtained the “Hall of false curtains” that, over the years, has successfully deceived even the most expert eyes for the realism with which it has been painted in such excellent way by the famous idealistic artist, Francesco Bianchi, that also painted some important halls for Carlo Lodovico di Borbone's Royal Palace in Lucca.
The only rooms which remains untouched with its original frescoes, is the little Chapel on the ground floor.

3. Context

Laid down on the hills, only 7 km from the city of Lucca, the historic compound of Villa Grabau offers to the traveler suggestions of an unchanged time.
The Villa is entirely furnished with period pieces and paintings and is surrounded by a 9 hectares botanical park.

The Park is divided in several architectural gardens and composed by centuries-old trees and true arboreal rarities.
While walking through the park, you will discover the “Limonaia” (Lemon house), an impressive and majestic conservatory for XVII century's lemon trees, and the “Teatro di Verzura” (Verzura's theatre), placed in a garden with box tree's wings creating a cosy and romantic atmosphere.
In the “Limonaia”, an architecturally striking and fascinating ambiance, it is possible to organize events and ceremonies surrounded by the “Ficus pumila” that falls from the majestic ceiling's beams, creating a unique and incomparable atmosphere.
In the “Teatro di Verzura”, harmoniously proportioned and refined, it is possible to officiate ceremonies also with civil procedure.
This secluded corner of the Park is particularly appreciated by the florists, which manage to create romantic scenic designs with their floral decorations.

Strategically situated nearby Lucca, three residences of charme are hidden within the Park: “Casa di Annadora”, “Casa di Orazio” and “Stalletta”, available for weekly rentings or to host family and friends for a couple of days after your ceremony in the Villa.