La Scarzuola
La Scarzuola is an extraordinary utopian architectural complex near Montegiove in Umbria, created by the Milanese architect Tomaso Buzzi between 1956 and his death in 1981. Built around a 13th-century Franciscan convent where Saint Francis of Assisi is said to have founded a chapel of rushes (scirpi, hence the name), the complex layers a fantastical “ideal city” of towers, theatres, temples, and classical allusions onto the medieval sacred site. It is one of Italy’s most unusual and captivating heritage destinations, combining spirituality, architectural invention, and surrealist imagination.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic Franciscan convent with 20th-century utopian architectural complex
- Period
- Convent founded 13th century; Buzzi complex 1956–1981
- Style
- Mannerist and Surrealist; eclectic classicism
- Location
- Montegiove, Orvieto, Umbria, Italy · 42.8983° N, 12.1536° E
Overview
La Scarzuola is a unique site in Italy, combining a medieval Franciscan convent with a visionary architectural creation of the 20th century. Architect Tomaso Buzzi, a collaborator of Gio Ponti and one of the protagonists of Italian decorative arts between the wars, purchased the convent in 1956 and spent the rest of his life building what he called his “ideal city” in the surrounding grounds. Today the complex is managed by Buzzi’s nephew, Marco Solari, and is open for guided visits.
History
According to tradition, Saint Francis of Assisi visited this wooded hillside in 1218 and built a small chapel of rushes (scirpi), giving the site its name. A Franciscan convent was subsequently established in the 13th century, which survived with modifications until the 18th century. After centuries of varying fortunes, Tomaso Buzzi acquired the abandoned complex in 1956 and began constructing his personal vision of an ideal theatre-city inspired by ancient Rome, Hadrian’s Villa, and Renaissance garden design. The project was conceived as a private meditation on architecture, time, and mortality.
What you see
The visit encompasses two distinct worlds: the restored 13th-century Franciscan convent with its cloister, chapel, and frescoes, and Buzzi’s extraordinary fantasy city built on the hillside beyond. The latter includes a sequence of small theatres, temples, towers, a pyramid, a Greek theatre, a Colosseum in miniature, a Tower of Babel, and a sphinx — each laden with symbolic and literary references. The spaces are designed to be experienced as a theatrical journey through Western civilisation, rich in Masonic, esoteric, and classical allusions.
Cultural significance
La Scarzuola is a rare surviving example of a personal architectural utopia in 20th-century Italy, comparable in spirit to the Villa Palagonia in Sicily or Bomarzo’s Sacro Bosco. Its combination of sacred medieval heritage with visionary modern invention makes it an exceptional site for understanding Italian architectural culture and the humanist tradition of ideal cities. It has attracted growing international recognition as one of Italy’s most unusual and thought-provoking cultural destinations.
Practical information
- Address
- Montegiove, 05010 Orvieto (TR), Umbria, Italy
- Opening hours
- Visits by appointment only — check the official website for booking information
- Admission
- Guided tours; entry fee applies
Getting there
La Scarzuola is located near Montegiove, approximately 15 km from Orvieto in Umbria. By car from Orvieto, take the SP69 towards Montegabbione; the site is signposted from the village of Montegiove. The nearest railway station is Orvieto on the Rome–Florence line, from which a car or taxi is required to reach the site. Public transport connections to Montegiove are very limited.