History of the property

Holiday resort Gagnoni grew out of the estate of the historically distinguished Gagnoni family, consisting of the manor house or Casa Padronale,at the top of the hill, and the associated farms and barns. The family spent their summers here. The rest of the year they stayed at the Palazzo Gagnoni in Montepulciano, now owned by the state. The farmhouses were occupied throughout the year by farm workers employed by the family. We have given the Casa Padronale the name Villa Gagnoni and the ensemble of farm houses and barns Piccolo borgo Gagnoni.

The villa dates back to 1760 and was built with local stone in the typical Leopoldian style of the region. This architectural style refers to the then ruler of Tuscany, Grand Duke Leopold II, who organized major works to transform the entire Val di Chiana from a swamp to fertile land for agriculture. Everywhere in this valley (especially on the road to Cortona) one can see many such Leopoldian villas crowned with the characteristic ‘dovecote’..