Via Carlo Marx 21

San Giovanni Di Baiano, Italy

Amenities

Elevator, Garden, Park.

Rooms

Central/Center Hall, Formal Dining Room, Great Room, Living Room, Storage Room, Study, Utility Room.

Exterior features

Balcony, Large Open Gathering Space, Outbuilding(s), Outdoor Living Space, Sunny Area(s).

View

Garden View, Hills View, Pastoral View, View.

Description

In the heart of Umbria, a magnificent noble residence, where Galileo Galilei stayed, with an ancient tower, private chapel, 2 agricultural annexes and 14 hectares of land with a small olive grove. Perfect as a private residence or event location. Possibility of building a swimming pool. Geographic position In the heart of Umbria, surrounded by woods and olive groves, stands Villa Galileo, an elegant noble residence dating from the 16th century with a fascinating history. It was here that Galileo Galilei stayed on his way to Rome, and splendid frescoes depicting the cycle of the seasons were commissioned for the occasion, with enigmatic symbols and highly valuable artistic details. Situated on the edge of a small town, a reference point for daily shopping, the villa is only 8 km from Spoleto, one of the region's best-loved historic centres, famous for the Festival of the Two Worlds, From the villa, it is possible to reach Todi (37 km) and Assisi (52 km) in about 40 minutes by car, Perugia (69 km) in less than an hour and Orvieto (74 km), in about 1 hour and a quarter. Rome is only 120 km away and can be easily reached either by car or by train (thanks to the train station located just 500 metres from the property), in about an hour and a half. The nearest airport is Perugia, 60 km away (45 minutes by car), while the airports of Rome Ciampino (138 km) and Rome Fiumicino (154 km) can be reached in about 1 hour three quarters. Description of buildings The property consists of the main villa (690 square metres net), the dovecote tower (52 square metres net), an annex with private chapel (82 square metres net) and a further annex for agricultural use (40 square metres net), for a total net surface area of 864 square metres. The villa was first built in the 16th century as a hunting lodge around two pre-existing dovecote towers. Other rooms were later added, incorporating one of the two towers and transforming the building into an elegant noble country villa, with a private chapel and two buildings used for agricultural purposes. Among the events that took place over the centuries in the villa, the most important is certainly the stay of Galileo Galilei who, on his way to Rome, stopped at the property at the invitation of the owner. On the occasion of this important event, the owner commissioned the valuable frescoes that we can still admire today. Villa Padronale - 690 net sq m on 3 levels + balcony 15 rooms - 6+2 bedrooms - 10 bathrooms The villa is on three levels and has been recently restored. Thanks to the large spaces available, it is suitable both for private use and as a tourist accommodation for events. Ground floor - large double-height entrance hall; - large living room with cross vault, fireplace, a fountain with traces of frescoes and, on the ground, a channel that brings water from the private spring; - large room (about 50 square metres) currently used as a warehouse, with the possibility of changing its intended use to a kitchen, with water and gas connections already in place; - large double room (approx. 100 sq.m.) currently used as a warehouse but with the possibility of changing its use to living room/lounge/dining room; - hallway; - 3 bathrooms; - 3 storage rooms; - column prepared for the installation of a lift connecting to the 2 upper floors. First floor - Large living room with adjacent small room with water connection already in place, for the installation of a kitchen; - room where Galileo Galilei stayed, with frescoes, suitable as a study; - large bedroom (approx. 27 sq m) with en-suite room already prepared for the installation of a bathroom; - bedroom with mezzanine (usable as an additional bedroom) and en-suite bathroom; - large bedroom (approx. 50 sq m) with fireplace, en-suite room already set up for the installation of a bathroom for the disabled and direct access to the rear garden; - column set up for the installation of a lift. Second floor - large living room with frescoes, fireplace (approx. 33 sq m) and balcony of approx. 13 sq m; - bedroom with hallway and en-suite bathroom; - bedroom with adjacent room (corresponding to the old dovecote tower incorporated into the villa) already set up for the installation of a kitchen or convertible into an additional bedroom or study. - bathroom on the upper floor of the tower (accessible via a steel staircase from the room below); - further room with mezzanine, which could be used as an additional bedroom and en-suite bathroom; - storage room with provision for a bathroom; - column with provision for the installation of a lift. From the hallway of the bedroom in the left wing of the villa, a small bridge leads to the second dovecote tower, not incorporated into the villa. Dovecote Tower - 52 sq m net + terrace of approx. 23 sq m - To be internally restored 2 rooms The dovecote tower, which is in excellent structural condition, has a base with tall and slender passage arches, which once served as an entrance to the property. The building still has its original finishings and has a room with large arched windows on all four sides, measuring about 30 square metres, an additional room of about 28 square metres on the upper floor and, on the top floor, a terrace of 23 square metres. Annex with chapel - 82 square metres net - To be restored 8 rooms In front of the villa there is a small chapel, built in 1623 and dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. The church is still consecrated and for private use. At the back of the church there is a storage area and a wood-fired oven, followed by 6 further rooms, also used for storage. This building, in need of renovation, could be repurposed, with the possibility of creating additional rooms or a spa. Additional agricultural annex - 40 net sqm - In need of renovation 1 room At the back of the villa there is another building, also used for agricultural purposes, with a gross surface area of 44 square metres on one level. This building also needs renovating, but it is possible to change its intended use and create living space. State and finishing Carefully restored, the villa offers ample space ideal both as a private residence and as an exclusive venue for events, cultural retreats and representation activities. The rooms and other spaces on the first and second floors have not yet been used. The only work to be completed is the choice and laying of the floors in the two large storerooms on the ground floor (for which a change of use is possible) and the choice and laying of some sanitary ware in the bathrooms. Villa Galileo is of particular historical and architectural interest, as it retains its original 16th-century layout substantially unchanged. In the 17th century it was the seat of an important cultural coterie, to which the Dutchman Giovanni van Ekh, one of the promoters of the Accademia dei Lincei, was a guest of Benedetto Gelosi. The austere and elegant main façade, facing north-west, towards the valley, is adorned by the beautiful portal framed by pilasters and surmounted by the balcony on which a French door framed by 18th-century style mouldings opens. The entrance hall preserves a beautiful wooden ceiling with decorations and coats of arms of the family and the Municipality of Spoleto. In the adjoining hall there is a fireplace with, to its right, a fountain with traces of frescoes and, to the left, a gutter on the ground that draws water from a private spring located in the land uphill. In the room where Galilei slept, during the recent restoration, some paintings representing the cycle of the seasons were brought to light, with a pavilion vault decorated in faux marble, with other bucolic allegories and the signs of the zodiac in the centre. In the window recess, St. Francis receives the stigmata at the top and hunting scenes at the side. In the hall on the second floor is a beautiful stone fireplace, engraved with the coat of arms of the Gelosi, surrounded by the motto QUID. QUID. AGIS. PRUDER. AGIS. ET. RESPICES. FINEM. and two interesting frescoes depicting the Tower of Babel and the Story of Noah's Ark, by a painter called the Spaniard (a pupil of Spaniard). The tall and elegant dovecote tower outside the villa,which is in excellent structural condition, once served as the entrance, and is crowned by a cornice and fine 18th-century decorations. The base of the building consists of slender passage arches surmounted by string-course cornices. In axis with these are the openings of the upper level, which have a triangular tympanum. Also in the chapel, built in 1623 and dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary,.we find valuable frescoes, also attributed to the Spaniard. The Colombaia Tower is in excellent structural condition and only needs internal rebuilding. The two agricultural outbuildings are in need of renovation. External areas The sale includes approximately 14 hectares of private land, of which about 13 hectares are arable land, with a small olive grove and 2 natural water springs. The arable land extends around the villa, one half in a flat area and the other in a slightly steep area. Both areas are easy to farm and in excellent exposure for starting new crops. The subsoil is rich in water and, since the valley is a compluvium, most of it comes to the surface thanks to one of the two springs, located in the centre of the land. The water, which flows steadily, is channelled into a pipe that runs all the way into the villa, and then into an ancient 140-metre-long fishpond. From there it ends up underground or in the old municipal ditch until it reaches the Marroggia. This water was used from 1900 until 2021 by the State Railways, first to power steam trains and then to bring water to Spoleto station. The parcel returned to the owners in 2022 and they are the only ones who are familiar with the water management mechanism designed by FS in 1900. To date, all agricultural land is served by irrigation pipes. The soils are extremely well drained, preventing waterlogging that is harmful to crops. In the past, much of the land was used for vines, then, no longer being able to cope with an activity that was not considered the main source of livelihood, the vines were dismantled in favour of simple crops such as field beans, barley and cereals. Part of the arable land is now cultivated with alfalfa, while the remainder contains a small olive grove of about 150 trees, fruit trees and, in rotation, an area used to grow tulips, pumpkins and sunflowers, since every year, important themed festivals are held on the property, attracting thousands of participants from all over central Italy. The land is analysed every year in order to rotate the various crops and the latest scientific soil analysis report is available. Around the villa there is an area rich in breccia, which is useful as a sub-base to create small pedestrian paths. Approximately 4 hectares + 2 hectares of land (including the villa and olive trees) are fenced off with netting and chestnut poles. The property has as many as 4 potential entrances, offering further versatility depending on its use and ample space for parking. It is possible to build a swimming pool on the land (by requesting the appropriate authorisation). Use and potential uses Thanks to its position and characteristics, Villa Galileo is a wonderful private residence, ideal for those looking for a place to live in contact with nature and at the same time not isolated, with the convenience of having all the services necessary for daily life close at hand. Naturally, the villa would also be perfect as a luxury relais (thanks to the rooms already available and those that could be created in the agricultural annexes), to be combined with a restaurant business (in the large spaces on the ground floor, already set up), or even as a multipurpose space in which to host cultural events, religious ceremonies (thanks to the presence of the fully frescoed chapel), concerts in the garden, seasonal agricultural events such as the sunflower park, the pumpkin event in October and the tulip event in spring, or even cooking shows and masterclasses, as well as the organisation of permanent spaces with the help of universities.