The first unit of the island Summer, known today like Park delle Cascine, was bought from the duke Alessandro in half of 1500. The island was then enlarged from Cosimo I. The current name of the park comes from the presence of farms in the island, that were for the more dedicated to the breeding of animals. Since the beginning of 17° century the park has been ruling from a majestic avenue of trees, at first known like the Avenue of the Pines and subsequently like the Avenue of the King. Underneath Pietro Leopoldo the park was reorganized with the addition of the instrumentations from garden and a house of guard. It was open also to the public, but only for special events and for the day of the ascent. It was conceived essentially like a wild area of whom the only fixed structure was a little house for the hunting built by Manetti G. in 1786 where the arciduca and its family lived.
The following year, in occasion of the marriage of the arciduchessa Maria Teresa, all the old buildings had been demolished.
In the second half of 18° century the arciduchessa Elisa opened to the public the garden, giving to the town an immense green area very different from the gardens of the palaces of the town. Moreover, the arciduchessa created a new entrance at the park on Porta al Prato, where the "Baluardo del Serpe" was hung up. In the meanwhile the road parallel to the river was paved. In 19° century the gardens of the Cascine had been planned in a romantic style and appeared very different from how they are today. Besides, in the course of 19° wide areas of the park had been transformed in sporty areas and tracks race.

Address: Parco delle Cascine
Opening hours: always open
Ticket: free entrance