At the direction of Dr. Sasha Perugini, Director of Syracuse University Florence since 2011, this archive was created to serve as a tribute to the Gigliucci family and to their beautiful Villa Rossa which since 1959 has welcomed hundreds of students to Florence each year. Through the The Villa Rossa Archive, Dr. Perugini wishes to present a treasure of historical documents and photos that narrate the history of the Gigliucci family and their beloved villa while bringing to life the story behind the Syracuse University Florence program itself.
Many people have contributed to this project through the years and we trust that the work of conservation, celebration, and appreciation will continue. Special thanks go to Betsy Purvis, whose booklet The House of Gigliucci in Florence at Villa Romana and Villa Rossa (1999) has been used here to narrate the history of the Gigliucci family the foundations of the Villa Rossa and the origins of the Syracuse University Florence program.
