Castello Neve Poggioni, Cortona, Tuscany

Access to this fairytale property is by means of an impressive gateway with stone pillars. The gates open onto a large courtyard which is bordered along the whole length by a low level stable block in need of complete renovation. With three double doorways, this building would be perfect as a two or three car garage. On the other side of the courtyard there is a 125 square metre, two floor cottage which is separate from the castle but attached to another property. Currently the upper floor consists of a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom and a living room all of which are habitable but in reality the whole building requires renovation including the ground floor where there are two workrooms; one of which once housed the olive mill.

A broad stone paved ramp with elegant an iron hand rail leads to the arched double door to the castle. To the left of this ramp is a terrace which overlooks the garden and the surrounding hills. The double doors open onto an inner courtyard/passage which stretches the length of the property until it reaches the arched opening of the old bread oven. The walls of this inner courtyard are dotted with old filled-in windows and doorways; a feast for an architectural historian, as is the whole building, but it is this passageway that demonstrates the layers of history most clearly. It was in fact part of the old Roman road which crossed the hills from Tuscany to Umbria, the Tiber Valley and beyond. In addition there are a multitude of other spaces; a small, stone flagged room next to the bread oven, a storage room, a wine cellar, a 'limonaia', a tobacco drying tower, a chicken house and a pig-sty coop, and, a short distance from castle there is a very pretty 16th century chapel.

The north wing of the castle, with medieval origins is on the right of the inner courtyard the ground floor of which contains 3 large cantinas/store  rooms all of which are dry and in good condition. The first two are barrel vaulted with floors of old terracotta Tiles, the metre thick walls are of stone and brick.

The inner front door of the castle is on the left and enters the 'newer' 16th century, late Renaissance south wing. Modifications were made to the castello, probably in the early 20th century, including the stairs, the gothic revival style windows, the delicate iron balustrades, the terraces and the kitchen balcony. These additions give a romantic air to the south side of the building. The entrance hall has a barrel vaulted ceiling and on this floor there is the former kitchen with gothic style French Windows, one of which leads out to an adorable wisteria clad Juliet balcony. This room has 19th century floor tiles and a fireplace with a wood burning stove. The second room is a library which has access to the main terrace by means of gothic styled French windows. The dining room has high ceilings, a gothic window, a terrace with stone plinths and delicate balustrade. There are magnificent views from the terrace a sea of hills over Umbria and beyond to the snowcapped Sibillini mountain range in the Marches The main feature of this room however is an enormous, stone fireplace dating back to 1570 and proudly bearing the distinctive 6 globe coat of arms of the Medici family. There are also additional rooms to the rear.

An elegant stone staircase sweeps up to the top of the house from the entrance hall. The staircase links the south and north wings of the property and was constructed in 1916.

On the first floor landing to the left (south wing) there is an apartment comprising a master bedroom with access to a modern bathroom, a second bedroom, a living room and a kitchen all of which are double glazed and have central heating. The ceilings have been sandblasted exposing the original chestnut beams and terracotta tiles. Also accessed from this landing to the right (north wing) is a large drawing room with long double aspect windows all with beautiful views behind which there are a further four rooms two of which have en-suite shower rooms. The stairs proceed upwards to the top floor where to the left (south wing) the attic space stretches the full length and width of the building. On the right (north wing) there is a replication of the floor below, a large room with double aspect windows followed by 4 other good sized rooms, two of which have been opened up  to one large room by means of an impressive stone arch. All the ceilings of these principle rooms of these two floors of the north wing have been sandblasted, chestnut beams and terracotta tiles in all their original beauty.

Outside is a charmingly grand terraced garden with lots of scope, supported by impressive stone walls and connected with an elegant stone stairway.

A fascinating property; partially restored with plenty of scope for further development.

Tenure: Freehold

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Castello Neve, Poggioni, Cortona, Tuscany

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