Pangea Guides

The villa was erected by order of Cardinal Ricci di Montepulciano in 1544. It was acquired by Cardinal Fernando di Medici in 1576. Since 1803 it is the French Academy in Rome. The academy was created in 1666 by the French King Louis XIV in order to enable painters to study in Rome. Nicolas Poussin was one of the first students, Ingres was director and Fragonard and Boucher were students of the French Academy, but also musicians like Berlioz and Debussy studied here. Today the villa hosts occasional concerts and exhibitions.