Campaccio: Garden Art and History

Campaccio brings together garden architecture and archaeological and historical traces. The town’s historical connections include Villa Farina, whose park combines agricultural buildings with an ornamental garden. Other features include the Cippo di confine tular rasnal, dated to the 2nd century BC, and a griffin found in Campaccio several centuries ago. MAEC used this griffin as a symbol for an exhibition in 2026. Together, these connections span several periods: from an ancient boundary stone to 19th-century garden design and a specific museum connection in 2026. This gives your travel plans a cultural touch that places Campaccio in the context of garden art and history.

Villa Farina: Garden Spaces and Design

The park at Villa Farina combines agricultural buildings with an ornamental garden. This offers a way to explore the estate that takes account of both its buildings and its designed green spaces. The individual garden areas differ in their location and design.

In the lower part is the Teatro di verzura, which dates to the mid-19th century. Visitors enter through a tunnel of holm oaks; a continuous green hedge forms the backdrop to the theater. The tunnel and hedge frame the space in different ways: the tunnel leads visitors in, while the hedge provides the backdrop. This makes the design clear as a combination of an entrance and a setting.

The Bosco Parrasio is in the upper part of the garden, a green space laid out like a basilica. It was presumably intended for assemblies and gatherings of academics. In contrast to the Teatro di verzura, the focus here is on the basilica-like form and a possible historical function. The contrast highlights two distinct garden themes: a space designed as a theater, and a green space whose use as a meeting place is only conjectured.

Boundary Stone, Findspot and Museum Connection

The Cippo di confine tular rasnal is dated to the 2nd century BC. The boundary stone was found in the early 18th century in the settlement of Il Campaccio, east of Cortona, on land belonging to Taddeo Orselli. The two dates refer to different events: the 2nd century BC is the date assigned to the stone, while the early 18th century marks when it was found. Distinguishing between these allows the object’s age and its discovery history to be considered separately.

Another connection leads from Campaccio to MAEC. A griffin found in Campaccio several centuries ago was used by the museum as a symbol for an exhibition in 2026. This links a local find to a dated exhibition. The emphasis differs from that of the boundary stone: the Cippo is associated with its dating and discovery in the early 18th century, while the griffin is connected to a later exhibition. This comparison makes the different historical layers of Campaccio easier to understand.

Discover more destinations: Ossaia, Montanare, Terontola, Camucia, Torreone, Monsigliolo, Sant'agata, Barullo-Centoia.

For the main travel overview: Cortona.