Palazzo Corsini al Prato

Residence of the Corsini family, the Palazzo Corsini al Prato via the entrance on Via il Prato gives access to the stupendous Italian garden, a large geometric parterre of boxwood hedges adorned with the antique statues from Cardinal Neri Corsini's collection placed on high plinths of sloping height.

The façade of the palace overlooking the garden is introduced by a large three-arched loggia designed by Buontalenti.
The loggia is surmounted by a balustraded balcony and acts as a theatrical backdrop to the avenue of statues leading to two perfectly preserved ancient lemon houses in front of which are cultivations of peonies and cherry trees.

On either side of the parterre, two symmetrical English-style groves of holm oaks and laurels are dotted with acanthus trees. Beyond the lemon groves on the left is the rural and productive part of the garden used as an orchard and a lawn dotted with centuries-old linden trees.
The aromatic flowers that adorn the flowerbeds bordered by box hedges are a recent introduction by the landscape architect Olivia di Collobiano, while the specimens of Poncirius trifoliata, a rare species of citrus tree, are older.