After the Etna Mount two days ago, the World Heritage Committee at its 37th session in Phnom Penh today inscribed the Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany on the World Heritage List.
This marks Italy’s 49th site, thus maintaining its record as the country with the highest number of inscribed sites, followed by China (45) and Spain (44). This important result was achieved thanks to the cooperation between the local Tuscan authorities and the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities. The site is composed of 14 villas and gardens spread among Florence, Pisa and Pistoia. This cultural landscape dates back to the Renaissance era.
The Medici family transferred the Humanism ideals into architecture by building villas and gardens until the Baroque era, which perfectly melt into the local countryside. Thus they contributed to create the worldwide-known image of the Italian Renaissance.
The inscription had the unanimous support from North and South member States, as Ambassador Maurizio Serra, Italy’s Permanent Delegate, underlined.
For more details:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/175
http://www.regione.toscana.it/ville-e-giardini-medicei/introduzione
http://viaggi.repubblica.it/articolo/unesco-entrano-anche-le-ville-medicee/227646
