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Generous property with 10 bedrooms and 2 pools in Valdichiana

The owner had bought this large farmhouse more than 20 years ago to realise his dream of hosting tourists and treating them to the fine agricultural products of the countryside in his gourmet restaurant. This Podere (as rural buildings are called in Tuscany) was built at the end of the 19th century by a wealthy family. They called it "Podere la Fonte" because a spring not far away supplied the inhabitants within a radius of several kilometres with water and fed a nearby lake, which serves the farmers for irrigation and the migratory birds for refreshment on their long migrations.

Since the time of the Etruscans, the Val di Chiana was a rich and densely populated area. Etruscan inscriptions can still be seen on the stones used to construct this building. The Romans built magnificent villas here, which were also rich farms. For reasons that are still not entirely clear, a large part of the area was permanently flooded in the Middle Ages, making it impossible for the inhabitants to stay. This is how the villages on the heights around the valley came into being. However, the Val di Chiana continued to be an important waterway connecting Lake Chiusi with the Arno. The street names of the area testify to this ancient use, so the private road that passes by the property is still called Via di Porto, because a few hundred meters away a wide expanse of water recalls the existence of a dock. Leonardo da Vinci, who lived in the Arezzo area for a long time, drew a famous map of the Chiana Valley with the names of the places.

It was the enlightened Grand Duke Leopold who commissioned the engineer Fossombroni to finally drain his lands by stopping the flow of water through large areas of land by means of dams. In this way, the soil was deposited, and where there had previously only been marshland, fertile farmland was created, where today tomatoes, strawberries, artichokes, olives, wine, hazelnuts and medicinal herbs are cultivated.

The farmhouse was divided into two areas: One for the famous Chianina cattle and one for the farmers who worked the land. Today, these two parts - now perfectly restored - are still clearly visible. The left southern part (approx. 350 m²) is now used as a private house and is divided as follows: On the ground floor, large modern kitchen with large French doors, living room with fireplace, library, bathroom with shower and sauna, storage room, laundry and technical room; upstairs, a suite with living room, bedroom and bathroom as well as three bedrooms and a bathroom.

The northern part of the building (approx. 650 m²) on the right is currently rented out to holiday guests. Here, on the ground floor, there is a highly professional kitchen (the restaurant operation has been temporarily suspended, but can be resumed at any time), a cold storage room, a wine cellar, guest toilets and restaurant rooms, which can also be used as conference rooms or similar. On the 1st floor there is a large living room with fireplace, 5 guest rooms each with bathroom, a kitchen with bathroom, which can be used as an additional bedroom, and a guest bathroom, and on the 2nd floor there is a flat with kitchen-living room, bedroom and bathroom.

In the approx. 0.5 ha park there are two pools, one for private use and a larger one for guests.