The Birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci
Not just a museum but an immersive experience in the world of an extraordinary man who combined art, science and love of nature
Located in Anchiano, a short distance from the medieval town of Vinci, the Casa Natale di Leonardo da Vinci (Birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci) is a place of great historical and cultural significance, where the Tuscan genius was born on April 15, 1452. This ancient rural complex, with the earliest documented mention being from 1427, was donated to the Municipality of Vinci in 1952 by Count Giovanni Rasini di Castelcampo then transformed into a museum to preserve Leonardo’s memory and origins.
Today, the Birthplace is visited by many, particularly thanks to “Leonardo in Vinci: a genius is told,” an audiovisual narrative that, thanks to modern three-dimensional technologies, recreates Leonardo’s intimate and personal universe. The narrative is enriched by a life-size hologram depicting Leonardo in the latter years of his life, as he reflects on his past and his deep relationship with the territory of Vinci and Montalbano, a landscape that was a source of great inspiration for his studies and drawings. The experience is accompanied by the interactive technology of “Leonardo Touch,” which allows visitors to explore Leonardo’s pictorial and graphic work by interacting with his drawings and paintings along thematic pathways.
The museum also houses the “Leonardo’s Last Journey” section, with a model donated by the Italian Embassy in Paris, which reproduces the itinerary taken by the great master in 1516, on the trip that took him from papal Rome to his final resting place, the Château de Clos Lucé in Amboise. Yet another fascinating section is devoted to the Battle of Anghiari, Leonardo’s famous unfinished work that was to adorn the Salone dei Cinquecento in Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio. A special video tells the story of this work, showing 3D digital reconstructions and copies made by his contemporaries, revealing the extraordinary expressive power that Leonardo imprinted on his design.
The Leonardo experience does not end just within the walls of the rural complex. Indeed, you can reach the museum in an evocative way by walking along the Strada Verde, a pedestrian path that connects the village of Vinci to the Birthplace of Leonardo. At approximately 1.2 miles (2 kilometers), this route traverses the typical Tuscan landscape, rich in vineyards and olive groves, to offer an immersive experience in the land that inspired the young Leonardo. The Strada Verde also retraces the historic Via Botanica, which was traveled by Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1867 and is today an attractive trail popular with lovers of outdoor activities such as trekking and cycling. Along the way, there is even a detour leading to the 15ᵗʰ-century weir, further historical evidence related to the designs of Leonardo, who depicted the structure in a drawing in the Codex Atlanticus.
For information on accessibility: feelflorence.co.uk
