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25-594: The original "palagio di Maiano" was battered in 1467 by a hurricane, so much so that the then owner, Bartolomeo degli Alessandri, in order to handle his debts had to sell the entire complex with the large surrounding estate. In the first half of the 16th century it came to the Sforza , and then to the Buonagrazia . In 1546, it was owned by the Pazzi , and it was here that Caterina, the future Santa Maria Maddalena die Pazzi,

50-488: A large lawn, moved by some elements such as a well, a gazebo and a rectangular pool decorated after a refined neo-Gothic loggetta in two colors of brick and stone and the Laghetto columns of irregular shape that exploited a natural cavity. In these basins John Temple Leader would usually dive in for personal pleasure, and to rejuvenate the mind and exercise the body. In the final part of a paved terrace with stone balustrades

75-420: A limonaia. The west side, towards Via del Salviatino, has a smaller terrace that looks on the agricultural property. There is a lawn with two tall trees, bordered by boxwood hedges that create geometric patterns. The northern part of the villa instead features a landscaped park, designed by Giuseppe Francelli and Alessandro Papini (expert in hydraulics and valuable landscape architect), was created in an area in

100-482: A loggia (similar, for example, to that of the Villa Petraia ). The central courtyard was transformed into a large neo-renaissance ballroom, furnished with original pieces of the villa or specially commissioned from local artisans. The final phase was the construction of the private chapel, located on the north side of the villa between 1863 and 1864. The small chapel was built to a design by Joseph Francelli, who

125-529: A state of neglect where there stood ancient stone quarries of sandstone. There are also forests of conifers and deciduous trees, waterways and olive groves, dotted here and there with statues, fountains and other decorations. The Villa di Maiano bears a striking resemblance to the Villa Auditore in Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood . The essential structure of the Villa Auditore

150-679: Is almost identical to the one in Maiano. Although the Villa Auditore is virtual, it appears bigger in scale than the Villa di Maiano. There are also many other minor differences, but what is also important to note is that the Villa Auditore is set in Monteriggioni whereas the Villa di Maiano is northeast of Florence . It draws on Toscana Esclusiva XIII edizione , Associazione Dimore Storiche Italiane, Sezione Toscana, 2008. Sforza The House of Sforza ( Italian: [ˈsfɔrtsa] )

175-636: Is architecturally and culturally significant; it hosts several piazzas, and is referenced in Dante Alighieri 's Divine Comedy . Monteriggioni is a medieval walled town, located on a natural hillock, built by the Sienese in 1214–19 as a front line defensive fortification in their wars against Florence , by assuming command of the Via Cassia running through the Val d'Elsa and Val Staggia to

200-436: Is the best vantage point of the garden. From the meadow, on axis with the main entrance of the villa, two lions-marzocchi with family coats of arms introduce a shift to the lower terrace, with a barrel vault. The lower terrace houses a large garden, surrounded by geometric boxwood hedges and a host of various flower essences. The north side, below the terrace of the upper level, is closed by a service building that also serves as

225-460: The giunta comunale . Since 1995, the mayor and members of the consiglio comunale are directly elected together by resident citizens, while from 1945 to 1995 the mayor was chosen by the legislative body. The giunta comunale is chaired by the mayor, who appoints others members, called assessori . The offices of the comune are housed in a building usually called the municipio or palazzo comunale . Since 1995,

250-640: The Borgia family annulled the marriage once the Sforza family were no longer needed. In 1499, in the course of the Italian Wars , the army of Louis XII of France took Milan from Ludovico Sforza (known as Ludovico il Moro , famous for taking Leonardo da Vinci into his service). After Imperial German troops drove out the French , Maximilian Sforza , son of Ludovico, became Duke of Milan (1512–1515) until

275-625: The French returned under Francis I of France and imprisoned him. In 1521 Charles V drove out the French and restored the younger son of Ludovico, Francesco II Sforza to the duchy. Francesco remained the ruler of Milan until his death in 1535 and as he was childless the Duchy reverted to the Emperor, who passed it to his son Philip II in 1540, thus beginning the period of Spanish rule in Milan. While

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300-699: The House of Sforza has died out over the last century, it is closely related to the Castellini Baldissera family , who inherited a number of their palazzos and estates. Monteriggioni Monteriggioni is a comune in the province of Siena in the Italian region of Tuscany . It borders on the communes of Casole d'Elsa , Castellina in Chianti , Castelnuovo Berardenga , Colle di Val d'Elsa , Poggibonsi , Siena , and Sovicille . The town

325-515: The area, which would reach its peak in the neo-Gothic conversion of the nearby Vincigliata Castle . The architect Felice Francolini worked for Temple Leader on the Villa Maiano. Respecting the 15th-century appearance of the property, he began an overall alteration with some fairly radical aspects such as the raising of the ground floor and the addition of a central keep in the Gothic style with

350-650: The branch of Santa Fiora , who held the title of count of Cotignola ; the Sforza ruled the small county of Santa Fiora in southern Tuscany until 1624. Members of this family also held important ecclesiastical and political positions in the Papal States , and moved to Rome in 1674, taking the name of Sforza Cesarini. The Sforza became allied with the Borgia family through the arranged marriage (1493–1497) between Lucrezia Borgia and Giovanni (the illegitimate son of Costanzo I of Pesaro ). This alliance failed, as

375-533: The fictional Villa Auditore, which is based on Villa di Maiano . Public schools include: All public schools within the commune are a part of the Istituto Comprensivo Statale di Monteriggioni , School District #38. International School of Siena , a private international school, is in the commune. Monteriggioni is headed by a mayor ( sindaco ) assisted by a legislative body, the consiglio comunale , and an executive body,

400-404: The pond for her album of memories. With the death of leaders in 1903 all his property passed to his nephew Richard Bethell , Lord Westbury, who sold the villa to the surgeon Teodoro Stori in 1917. The descendants of his wife, Elizabeth Corsini are the current owners of the villa, which is why it is also sometimes referred to as Villa Corsini Majano. The garden in front of the villa consists of

425-533: The shore, encompassing the abyss, Was turreted with giants, half their length Uprearing, horrible, whom Jove from heaven Yet threatens, when his muttering thunder rolls. Monteriggioni also plays a significant role in the games Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood , both of which are loosely based around certain key historical events in Renaissance Italy. It is home to protagonist Ezio Auditore and his uncle Mario, who live in

450-463: The town. In more hostile times, these gardens provided vital sustenance when enemies gathered around the walls during sieges . Other sights in the town's countryside include: The Tuscan poet Dante Alighieri used the turrets of Monteriggioni to evoke the sight of the ring of giants encircling the Infernal abyss. As with circling round Of turrets, Monteriggioni crowns his walls; E’en thus

475-543: The townspeople. The roughly circular walls, totalling a length of about 570 metres (1,870 ft) and following the natural contours of the hill, were built between 1213 and 1219. There are 14 towers on square bases set at equidistance, and two portals or gates. One gate, the Porta Fiorentina opens toward Florence to the north, and the other, the Porta Romana, faces Rome to the south. The main street within

500-529: The walls connects the two gates in a roughly straight line. The main town square, the Piazza Roma, is dominated by a Romanesque church with a simple, plain façade. Other houses, some in the Renaissance style (once owned by local nobles, gentry, and wealthy merchants) face into the piazza. Off the main piazza smaller streets give way to public gardens fronted by the other houses and small businesses of

525-627: The west. It withstood many attacks from both the Florentines and the forces of the Bishop of Volterra . In 1554, the Sienese put the town's garrison under the command of Giovannino Zeti, who had been exiled from Florence. In 1554, in an act of reconciliation with the Medicis , Florence's ruling family, Zeti simply handed the keys of the town over to their forces— considered a "great betrayal" by

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550-587: Was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy , based in Milan . Sforza rule began with the family's acquisition of the Duchy of Milan following the extinction of the Visconti family in the mid-15th century and ended with the death of the last member of the family's main branch, Francesco II Sforza , in 1535. The first son of Muzio Attendolo Sforza , Francesco I Sforza , married Bianca Maria (1425–1468) in 1441. She

575-453: Was born. In the 18th century, the noble line of the Pazzi ended with Luigi di Cosimo , and the villa then came to Gucci Tolomei before becoming the property of John Temple Leader , who bought it in 1850 "with closed gate"; that is to say, with all its contents. The eclectic English politician made the villa his residence and the center of his affairs, beginning with the overall renovation of

600-529: Was the daughter and only heir of the last Duke of Milan , Filippo Maria Visconti . He thus acquired the title of Duke of Milan (1450–1466), ruled Milan for 16 years, and made the Sforzas the heirs of the house of Visconti. The family also held the seigniory of Pesaro , starting with Muzio Attendolo's second son, Alessandro (1409–1473). The Sforza held Pesaro until 1512, after the death of Costanzo II Sforza . Muzio's third son, Bosio (1411–1476), founded

625-408: Was the son of John Temple Leader factor and a descendant of a family of other members distinguished themselves in the field of art. The Francelli created an intimate environment with a single nave separated from the body of the villa and with the decoration of shop windows of prestigious Ulysses de Matteis. The villa had many famous guests, including Queen Victoria , who in 1893 made a few sketches of

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