The Bishop’s Villa dates from the 16th century. Its name derives from the fact that it was built on the remains of a medieval castle belonging to the Archbishop of Lucca. It was only annexed to the Park of Villa Reale at the end of 1811 by Elisa Baciocchi, who commissioned its renovation.
These works saw the Villa partly dedicated to royal accommodation and partly to areas of study. Plans for the interior included a physics laboratory, a dark room and a library, directly connected to a study reserved for Napoleon.
Today the Bishop’s Villa has a solid, imposing aspect, with a portico of three arches which leads to a terrace featuring a magnificent hanging garden as part of the Italian garden.
A refined, formal garden is located on the lower level, protected on two sides by the supporting terrace walls, with box and Euonymus pulchellis pruned following the forms of classic topiary.
The Bishop’s Villa has undergone large-scale renovation works (still underway in the interiors) to create a private residence for the current owners.
