PRIVATE ITALIAN VILLA (ZPOC-T1991933)

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ANCIENT ITALIAN VILLA The villa rests in the outskirts of the medieval, walled city of Urbino in central Italy's Marche Region[1]. Urbino is a university city with a wide range of cultural activities and many points of historic interest. The villa lies 60 miles due East of Florence, and about 15 miles from the Adriatic Coast. On the Eastern horizon a thin lens of the Adriatic Sea is just visible. & To the Northeast, the mountain-top Republic of San Marino can be seen in the distance. & The home is a large brick and stone structure once incorporating a Catholic Church, rectory, meeting and teaching rooms, living areas, and other facilities. It had all of the functional aspects of a small country monastery. There is no other English-language term that better describes it. It is thought to have been built sometime before the end of the first millennium, and was a continuously-inhabited church property for over 1000 years. Deconsecrated in 1973, it was subsequently converted into a comfortable private villa. The villa is thought to have been a detached part of a castle complex. The castle was demolished about 3 centuries ago. The villa is the only structure left intact. & The small community of La Torre San Tommaso, not far from the home, is built upon the old castle's foundations, remnants of which can still be seen. & The villa's ground floor comprises a large living room, small bathroom, spacious country dine-in kitchen with large fireplace, pantry, laundry room, and two rooms currently used as an office and reading room. & Attached to the laundry room there's a room that from about 1600 AD until recently served as the local area's bakery. Directly attached to it is a very large, functional, wood-burning bread (pizza) oven, the opening of which is into the bakery room. & & The old bakery is now used for occasional informal dining. The ground floor also houses the now de-consecrated church, with side and front altars, and two doors leading to a sacristy behind the front altar. Larger than life sculptures are in raised wall niches on either side of the front altar. The interior church ceiling is higher than two stories of the home. The church is an ideal setting for parties, small concerts, art exhibits, or other social gatherings. The upper floor of the home has six bedrooms, a sitting room with fireplace, and two full bathrooms. A small door leads from the upstairs hall into the church's choir stall. & The basement consists of a small utility room, small workroom, and, on a slightly lower level, a modest wine cellar. & The house is immaculate. All systems are modern and in excellent condition. There's an oil-fired, hot water heating system. Masonry walls, in places more than three feet thick, keep the home comfortably warm in winter and cool in summer. & The villa stands on two acres of private fenced and gated park, about one-third of which is wooded. The rest is well landscaped lawn with trees and ornamental plants. The property has an irrigation system, and a full security system including video surveillance. A brick-walled well, dug by hand in 1625 AD, is about 100 feet deep and six feet in diameter, it now serves as part of the irrigation system. It is supplemented by a second deep-water well that is also used for irrigation. Water from the municipal aquaduct is used in the home. An underground garage is separate from the house. It easily accommodates two full-sized cars with plenty of extra room for storage and lawn equipment. The home is on a paved road, and is easily accessible. It is a ten-minute drive from Urbino. & The region surrounding the home consists of scenic rolling hills, either farmed or wooded. Much of it remains property of the Catholic Church, leased-out for cultivation. Less than a mile from the house, and at a slightly higher altitude, begins the Cesane National Park incorporating thousands of acres of wooded hills with biking, hiking, and picnic facilities. It's an extremely peaceful, comfortable place. & The climate in the area would compare closely with that of the coastal hills of northern Virginia. It snows in the winter, sometimes heavily, but does not get bitterly cold. It's rare that the ground freezes, or that transportation is inhibited by the snow. The property is approximately 1500 feet above sea level, and as a result is slightly removed from the more-humid nearby coastal climate. The area is beautiful year-around, but the very best times are April-May, and September-October when one can experience the changing seasons. & This a truly unique property. [1] Property coordinates: 43°, 44'37''N, 12°, 42'05''E. See on Google Earth. See a panorama of the Marche region at: ... Many other interesting Marche documentaries can be found on YouTube including the following: ... and, ... /> & Lifestyle ActivitiesRuralHistoric SitesHillsWoodsAmenities and ServicesParkingSecurityProperty Characteristics2 StoreyProperty FeaturesCellarCentral HeatingExposed BeamsExposed BrickExtensive GroundsFireplaceGarageInternet AccessLandscaped GardensOff Street ParkingViewsWater WellBeamworkPatioFixtures and FurnishingsAlarmBathDishwasherShowerTelephone

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