The famous Boboli Gardens in Florence house a masterpiece of Mannerist architecture and culture that is sure to leave an impression on the visitor who sees it: the so-called Buontalenti Grotto, a unique blend of architecture, painting and sculpture. The grotto (also called ‘Grotta Grande’ in Italian) is located in the far north of the Boboli Gardens alongside the entrance to the Vasari Corridor. 

It takes its name from Bernardo Buontalenti, who oversaw the construction of its three rooms between 1582 and 1593, commissioned by Francesco I de’ Medici. Giorgio Vasari before him had begun working on the grotto, having created the lower part of the exterior façade, itself an anticipation of the bizarre interior..