The magnificent private residences built by the noble families of Italy are unsurpassed in their architectural richness and artistic grandeur. "Italian Splendor" takes the reader on a fascinating photographic tour of properties throughout the Italian peninsula and Sicily. Over fifty of the most historic and beautiful palaces, castles, and villas are visited.
Within each glorious house, some of the most renowned artists and architects have created an atmosphere reflective of the civilized nature and refined tastes of its past and present inhabitants. The styles of the houses, most of which have been preserved in pristine condition, document the regional differences and design tendencies throughout Italy over the centuries.
Splendid urban palazzi in Rome, Florence, Siena, Genoa, Venice, and Palermo, peaceful country villas in Tuscany and the Veneto, and fortresslike baronial castles overlooking the sea from Trieste to the tip of Sicily, many of which are still in the hands of the families responsible for their initial construction, are described and illustrated. Behind the imposing gates and grand facades is a world offering a style of living that is difficult to imagine still exists in the late-twentieth century.