After decades of neglect, failed auctions, parliamentary inquiries, and abandoned acquisition attempts, the Sammezzano Castle in Reggello — widely considered the most important example of Moorish architecture in Italy — has been purchased by the Moretti family from Florence, who had expressed interest in the historic site as early as 2018. The initial investment is estimated at around 18 million euros, with a total financial commitment of at least 68 million planned for the full restoration of both the building and its 65-hectare historic park.

This marks a turning point for a castle with a complex and troubled history. Declared a site of historical and artistic interest in 1972, Sammezzano was also listed in 2019 as one of Europe’s seven most endangered cultural heritage sites. Over the years, concern for its uncertain future mobilized civil society, leading to the creation of the “Save Sammezzano” committee, a grassroots campaign devoted to raising awareness and promoting the site's exceptional artistic and cultural value through the involvement of citizens, associations, institutions, and public entities.

Built atop a pre-existing Roman structure and converted into a hunting lodge during the Medici era, the castle took on its current appearance between 1843 and 1889 thanks to the vision of Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes d’Aragona, a Florentine intellectual with a passion for botany and Oriental art, who acquired the property from Giovanni Jacopo de’ Medici. Both the main structure and surrounding park were completely redesigned in the Orientalist style — a cultural movement that found fertile ground in Florence — featuring polychrome halls, intricately pierced domes, interlaced arches, elaborate stuccoes, ceramic mosaics, and a wide array of exotic plant species. Even today, Sammezzano remains a unique landmark in Italy’s architectural and landscape heritage. In 2015, it was also chosen by director Matteo Garrone as a filming location for Tale of Tales.

This new phase marks a potential rebirth for Sammezzano, with plans pointing toward a public cultural destination. Although still subject to the state’s right of first refusal, active until July, the current proposal envisions the creation of a museum center along with initiatives dedicated to enhancing its architecture and the expansive green landscape of the historic park. After years of neglect and uncertainty, the castle is finally poised to be returned to public use — consolidating its legacy as a historical and cultural asset for the region.