Vittorio and Lorenza: our story
Vittorio and Lorenza decided to live in their historical family home, which they love so much, to preserve it and hopefully to be able to pass it on to future generations.
The House as a farm centre
The house was part of a larger agricultural estate farmed with the sharecropping system.
Unlike other areas in Tuscany where the countryside is scattered with villas, that were the landlords homes, in the Valdorcia these mansions are located within the town walls, to protect them from the raids of brigands like the famous Tiburzi, that until XIX century raged in the area.
This is the reason why we have considered the House and the farm as a whole.
When the sharecropping system came to an end Vittorio, who had meanwhile graduated in Agricultural Sciences, started to manage his own land. He turned the farm into a modern one, with tractors, fertilizers and chemicals but pretty soon he realized how dangerous they were and his land became one of the first organic farms in Valdorcia.
Lorenza had just graduated in Agricultural Sciences when she met Vittorio. She supported and agreed with the choice of the organic farming that at that time started to be recognised in the European Community.
Living in an ancient house
Vittorio and Lorenza decided since the beginning to live in the house in town , altough having already planned to restore the country houses of the farm to open the Agriturismo Il Rigo.
“ I fell in love right away with this big house, with its large leaded glass windows facing on the garden, the wax-finished terracotta floors, the decorated beams ceilings. I discovered something in my background speaking to me through these ancient walls”
I was excited at the beginning but the adventure has not always been easy. Some rooms had no heating system, including our bedroom that we had to warm up every evening with a wood-burning stove and in the coldest nights also with the fireplace so that sometimes we fell asleep with the glow of embers still enlightening the room.
“I think that the best way to preserve an historical home is to use it”
Renovating with the heart
During the years we undertook several maintenance projects to make our house more confortable and to keep it in good conditions.
Every small modifcation should always be respectful of the history and the architectural features of the house, as well as the materials used for its construction.
Even with the new possibilities that the technology makes available for us, we must be able to read the history in the walls. Luckily we have met many experienced and mindful artisans who have guided our choices.
In an historic house there’s always something to be discovered, a mural painting that was covered with layers of whitewash, or a niche in the wall that was once a window in a former house, or a chimney of which we ignored the existence.
Next Events
Casa dell’Abate Naldi hosts the cooking lessons of Gli Archi Culinary School, musical events, exhibitions of art and crafts.
Click on the calendar days to find out what the next events are, we invite you to participate and come to know us in S. Quirico d’Orcia, in Tuscany.