Borgo Rinascimento is the result of a lengthy restoration and reorganisation of the country buildings that today house the international school of art, culture and the Italian language.
The constructions that make up the Borgo Rinascimento largely date from the 1600's, when rural homesteads were built for the farming of the large estate of the Torlonias, a noble family. In the middle of the the 19th century the main residence of the family, which eventually acquired all the land, was built. In 1867, the estate was the site of a bloody clash between Pontifical troops and the followers of Garibaldi, who were fighting to unify Italy.
Two plaques at the sides of the main entrance commemorate the event. Garibaldi himself definitely slept in the house during the time he spent in the area, leaving a horse saddle that he had replaced with one in better condition. Following the restoration, the residential portion continued to be used for the same purpose, and the original style of the family home was preserved: the rooms available today are all the same ones inhabited in the past, though they have been outfitted with bathrooms.
The other buildings have been used to house art studios and rooms for exhibitions and meetings. Outside is a garden and a ground earmarked for an open-air museum. There is also a vegetable garden, plus an olive grove , supplying fruit, vegetables and top-quality olive oil used on a regular basis in cooking meals.
Borgo Rinascimento has single and double rooms, plus two apartments for groups of 5. The entire surrounding countryside is visible from the "Villa". Rich in olive groves, it rolls west towards the sea and north towards Mount Amiata.
The old grain barn, now restructured, makes for a charming exposition space and can also be equipped to hold other cultural initiatives.
Trips on horseback can be organised, while the nearby Lake Bolsena (10 minutes by car) and the sea provide the opportunity for swimming and pleasant walks.
Students can also make use of an excellent library and a common living room.
In addition there is an antique bakery oven, still in operation, that was used to make bread for the families of the homesteaders. Today it can turn out tasty pizzas made with tomatoes from the produce garden and the mozzarella from a nearby cheese manufacturer.
The stay at Borgo Rinascimento will be an unforgetable experience for artists and art lovers, during which they will learn contemporary art techniques and the techniques of our Renaissance Masters, while they are staying in a familiar and joyful atmosphere, with beautiful natural surroundings and delicious local food and wine.
