Sammezzano

Sammezzano, or the Castle of Sammezzano, is an Italian palazzo in Tuscany featuring Moorish Revival architectural style. It is located in Leccio, a hamlet of Reggello, in the Province of Florence.

Sammezzano
Castello di Sammezzano
Exterior of Sammezzano Castle
Location within Tuscany
General information
Location	Reggello, Italy
Address	Locality Sammezzano, 50066 Leccio
Coordinates	43.703023°N 11.471757°E / 43.703023; 11.471757
Construction started	1605
Completed	1885

Description

The original palazzo was erected in about 1605 by the Spanish nobleman Ximenes of Aragon. In the 19th century, Ferdinand Panciatichi Ximenes inherited the property and, between 1853 and 1889, remodeled it into one of the largest examples of Moorish Revival architecture. Umberto I, king of Italy, visited Ximenes at Sammezzano in 1878.^[1]

The palazzo served as a luxury hotel in the post World War II era; then was vacated and closed. A committee called FPXA 1813–2013, abbreviation for Ferdinand Panciatichi Ximenes d’Aragon, was organized in 2012 to attempt to restore and preserve the palazzo, which has 365 rooms, each with unique, Moorish decoration.^[2]

• 
  The Peacock Room
• 
  Ceiling detail
• 
  Decorative detail

In music

The Castle of Sammezzano can be seen in the 38 minute long video Beyond the Shores (on Death and Dying)^[3] by the band Shores of Null.