Cosimo the Elder became the principal figure in the administration of Florence in 1434 and soon displayed his passion for building, in which he employed Brunelleschi and Michelozzo. He also had a passion for scholarship and organised a search for ancient manuscripts. They were placed in a library which was open to the public. Copies were made and disseminated. Cosimo developed a particular interest in Plato and, with Marsilio Ficino, established a Platonic Academy in the garden of the Villa Medici at Careggi. The re-discovery of Plato became an important influence on humanism and on rationalistic thinking. This laid the basis for many aspects of High Renaissance culture.
Gardens designed by Medici, Cosimo di
