Castello Bufalini, imposing fortress with a crenellated tower, arched loggia and manicured gardens.
View on map

Bufalini Castle

Surrounded by the greenery of the Upper Tiber Valley, Bufalini Castle in San Giustino is a rare and exceptional example of a Renaissance historic residence that has remained intact over time, even preserving its original furnishings.

The history of the castle, from defence to splendour

The building was originally constructed as a private fortress for the Dotti, a Ghibelline family from Sansepolcro. After the Battle of Anghiari (1440), it became a military outpost of Città di Castello, but was soon destroyed by order of the Florentine Republic.

In 1487, it became the property of Niccolò di Manno Bufalini, a member of a prominent noble family from Città di Castello. Reconstruction work then began based on a design by the Roman architect Mariano Savelli. The building thus took on the appearance of a true fortress, with a square plan, corner watchtowers – including a main tower – and a wide moat.

During the 16th century, the building lost its original defensive function. Giulio II Bufalini had it transformed into an elegant country villa inspired by the Medici style, entrusting the work to the Florentine architect Giovanni di Alesso, known as Nanni Unghero, a pupil of Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. Spacious halls were created around a courtyard with two arcaded sides inspired by Vasari, together with a loggia and a monumental entrance. The work was not completed until around 1560, however, with an intervention traditionally attributed to the celebrated architect Jacopo Barozzi, known as Vignola. On this occasion, the Counts Bufalini commissioned the decoration of the palace from the Mannerist painter Cristoforo Gherardi, known as Il Doceno, an exponent of the most fashionable artistic trends of the time.

During the last decade of the 17th century and the early years of the 18th century, Count Filippo I Bufalini and his wife Anna Maria Bourbon del Monte had the castle renovated once again, following a design by Giovanni Ventura Borghesi (1640–1708), an architect and painter from Città di Castello. It was thus transformed into a charming country villa with an Italian-style garden and a maze, in keeping with the fashion of the time. Meanwhile, the Bufalini family, who had become marquises, enriched the palace with numerous works of art in the late Baroque style, including frescoes, paintings and luxurious furnishings.

In 1988, Bufalini Castle was acquired by the Italian State and transformed into a museum.

Fortified palace with stone and brick walls, arched windows and a bell tower, surrounded by hedges.
Fortified palace with stone and brick walls, arched windows and a bell tower, surrounded by hedges.
Castello Bufalini, stone and brick walls surrounded by greenery.
Castello Bufalini, stone and brick façade with an arched loggia.
Castello Bufalini’s frescoed ceiling, decorated with mythological scenes and ornamental motifs.
Historic room at Castello Bufalini, with an antique table, chairs and busts.
Noble room at Castello Bufalini, with a decorated table and gilded chairs.

Luxurious rooms and precious paintings

After crossing the wooden drawbridge overlooking the ancient moat, the visit continues through sumptuous rooms that tell the story of centuries of aristocratic life.

Along the route, visitors can admire:

  • the private rooms: the Hall of the Pagan Gods and the Hall of Prometheus, with frescoes by Cristofano Gherardi, known as Il Doceno, a collaborator of Giorgio Vasari; the private chamber of Cardinal Giovanni Ottavio Bufalini, with the extraordinary cradle he used as a child;
  • the reception rooms: the loggia; the Sala della Credenza, housing porcelain tableware and glassware; the Throne Room (during the Late Renaissance, noble families commonly prepared a room with a gilded throne in the event of a papal visit), decorated with paintings depicting scenes from the Old Testament and Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso; the Portrait Gallery; and the Stucco Room.

And there is more: the entire complex preserves period furniture, tapestries, majolica, Roman-era busts, wall hangings and the extensive family library, creating an authentic, lived-in atmosphere.

The Italian-style garden and the maze

Outside, a magnificent monumental park stretches around the castle, designed between the 17th and 18th centuries. It features geometric pathways, fountains, citrus espaliers and a lemon house. Particularly noteworthy are the rose garden, the plant-covered gallery known as the voltabotte, and the so-called “paradise”. The most fascinating feature, however, is the boxwood maze, dating back to 1692, one of the oldest in Europe that can still be explored in its entirety.

Explore the surroundings
Main attractions in the vicinity