Bosco del Sasseto

The forest takes its name from the numerous lava boulders found within, remnants of an ancient volcano. Centuries-old trees, some over 25 metres tall and with trunks exceeding one metre in diameter grow among these boulders. The atmosphere of the forest is magical, with twisted tree shapes, massive fallen trunks, carpets of moss and ferns and a vibrant undergrowth that blooms with colourful flowers in spring.
Walking along the trails, visitors are immersed in a lush natural environment, filled with colors, scents, sounds and unexpected encounters with various animals that find sustenance and refuge here.

However, Bosco del Sasseto is not only about nature: it also tells the story of a man, Marquis Edoardo Cahen, who, at the end of the 19th century, after renovating the castle above, fell so deeply in love with this wild park that he chose it as his final resting place. The marquis was buried in a neo-Gothic mausoleum, designed by Sienese architect Giuseppe Partini in the late 19th century, during the same period as the castle’s restoration.
Set in a clearing within the forest, the mausoleum bears imposing witness to the marquis’s passion for this place.
During the same years, the gardens and pathways of the forest were designed by French landscape architects Henry and Achille Duchêne. They created a complex system of landscaped environments, alternating wild woodland areas with more structured ones, highlighted by parterres outlined with hedges and flowers. This work gave Bosco del Sasseto a unique and evocative atmosphere that continues to captivate visitors today.