Visit to the Gherardi Del Testa estate

Photos: Giuseppe Laiolo

When Elisa Santoni walks past the magnificent villa of the noble Gherardi del Testa family at the entrance to the village of Terricciola, she can't help but think of carefree childhood days. In the courtyard of the property she often enjoyed playing volleyball, Monopoli and cards with the Countess's children, Esmeralda and Giuseppe, and other girls. They had set up their “volleyball club” in the attic of the villa and the rooms in the attic of the estate manager’s house offered plenty of material for scary stories. In the summer, they wandered through “La Ragnaia,” the forest surrounding the mansion, and explored the Hypogea (underground vaults from the Etruscan period). “The historic walls, fantastic frescoes and paintings of Casa Gherardi were the backdrop to our games,” remembers Elisa.

Visiting the Gherardis

For several years now, Countess Valeria has occasionally opened her house to guests. Accompanied by Conte Cosimo, the countess' nephew, and his wife Rebecca, visitors gain insights into the magnificent rooms with their beautiful frescoes and the furniture, some of which are centuries old. Also worth seeing are the numerous works of art that have always been in the family's possession - including a Madonna that is attributed to Andrea del Sarto and that stood in the family chapel for many years. In many rooms there are photos of the last king of Italy, “Umberto II di Savoia” - some with handwritten dedications to the family. At the end of this very personal journey through time through the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, Countess Valeria, a clever and still very beautiful woman, is waiting in the large hall of the villa with aperitifs, Tuscan wine, homemade cookies, mini sandwiches, schiacciata, Cheese and sausage for the guests. And with a bit of luck, you'll learn more secrets about this magnificent historic villa and its residents while chatting with the lady of the house.

You can find out how to visit this magnificent residence in the following link: Visit to Villa Gherardi del Testa .

Further visits to historical properties in Tuscany: Tour of the farm Medici Villa in Camugliano

The Villa

Built in 1660 for Sebastiano Gherardi Del Testa from Pisa and expanded by his descendants in the 18th and 19th centuries, the magnificent villa has stood at the entrance to the village of Terricciola for over 400 years. The Gherardi del Testa's were one of the most influential noble families in Tuscany and the property still bears witness to the system of rent in kind that was typical of the time. This means that the rent was paid with part of the harvest. Numerous testimonies have been preserved over the centuries, giving visitors interesting insights into the life of the landed nobility in the halls, wineries and granaries of the property. A detour to the garden is also worth it, because in the giardino di ponente, the western part of the garden, there are still remains of the fantastic marble staircase that once connected the villa with the main garden. Today, in this public part of the garden, a statue commemorates the victims of World War II.


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The family and the fine arts

Born in 1814 and raised in the family mansion in Terricciola, studied Tommaso Gherardi del Testa initially in Pisa Jura and later settled as a lawyer in Florence. The young man shares a deep love of theater and the fine arts. In 1848, when he was taken prisoner in the war against the Austrians, he wrote a poetic composition “to the women of Mantua” (“Alle donne di Mantova”). When he returned to his homeland, he became a popular comedy author, much sought after by the major theater companies of his time. His extremely numerous comedies appeared collected under the title: Teatro comico (Florence 1856–58, 4 vols.). Gherardi also wrote the novels: “La farina del diavolo” and “La povera e la ricca”, a moral painting that here and there is reminiscent of Gil Blas, as well as a number of very successful political poems in the style of Giuseppe Giusti. The Terricciola Theater was dedicated to the city's famous son. The historic building is located diagonally opposite the villa.

Some historical residences where you can also stay overnight: