Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Decameron.
Summary
Netflix’s raunchy dark comedy showThe Decamerontells the story of nobles fleeing to the Villa Santa in 1348 to escape the Plague-filled city of Florence, Italy, raising questions about the filming locations that shaped the medieval setting. While many anachronistic historical shows likeBridgertonfocus on more regal periods of time,The Decameron’s main characters, tone, and storyline are influenced by the ongoing death and loss caused by the Black Death– the name for the second bubonic plague pandemic, which tore through Europe and Asia from 1346 to 1353 killing up to half the population.
One of the most prominent themes withinThe Decameronis the greed of the wealthy. There’s a strong contrast between the nobility, who think themselves invincible inside the walls of the Villa Santa, and the servants, who understand that they could be cast out into Plague-riddled Florence at any time. The costuming and makeup help strengthen this wealth and privilege differential. Additionally, the production team picked perfect filming locations, which helped solidify the setting and reinforce the themes.
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The Decameron’s Florence Scenes Were Filmed At The San Pellegrino Quarter
The San Pellegrino Quarter In Viterbo, Italy Is A Well-Preserved Medieval Town
to create an authentic viewing experience,The Decameronfilmed the Florence scenes on-site in the historic San Pellegrino quarter in Viterbo, Italy(viaViterbo Today), rather than using a soundstage. This area is one of the best-preserved medieval towns, keeping the mix of Gothic and Romanesque architecture from the time.
The building style was the same throughout most of Italy in the 14th century. As such, San Pellegrino was the perfect choice to double as Florence in 1348. However, the filming team did cover all the chimneys, gutters, and windows that didn’t exist during the show’s time period to ensure accuracy. The Italian city appears periodically throughout the series but is mainly featured inThe Decameronepisodes one and five.
Viterbo, Italy is a popular choice for medieval shows andperiod piecesset in Italy, such asLeonardo(2021-Present),Medici: The Magnificent(2016-2019), andRomeo & Juliet(2013). Like the Netflix original series, the 1971 movie adaptation ofThe Decameronwas also filmed in Viterbo, with the city doubling for Florence. Non-period piece movies and series that were filmed in Viterbo, Italy includeCatch-22(2019),The Godfather Part III(1990), andThe First Omen(2024).
The Exteriors Of Villa Santa Were Filmed At The Castello Ruspoli
The Gardens of Castello Ruspoli in Viterbo Doubled For The Gardens Of Villa Santa In The Decameron
The San Pellegrino quarter isn’t the only part of Viterbo used as a filming location forThe Decameron.Viterbo Todayconfirmed that the show filmed in the gardens of Castello Ruspoli as well.This filming location can be seen throughout multiple episodes because it doubles as the gardens of Villa Santa.The Castello Ruspoli garden is an anachronistic filming location for the show set in 1348 because it was designed by Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola and created in 1611 at the behest of Ottavia Orsini (viaItalia.It).
Though technically an example of an Italian Renaissance garden, the ornately designed greenery relays the opulence the noble characters inThe Decameronwould expect. It provides an outdoor setting that expands the story possibilities rather than keeping the characters detained inside the building. Additionally, the choice to use this garden also makes sense because Italian Renaissance gardens were prevalent in Florance, Italy. Notable scenes where viewers can witness the garden’s beauty includethe introduction to the villa in episode 1, the guests playing games in episode 3, and Pampinea eating her dowry in episode 7.
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Villa Santa’s Interiors Were Filmed In Cinecittà Studios in Rome, Italy
Production Built The interiors Of Villa Santa On The Backlot Of Cinecittà Studios
While the exteriors were filmed onsite in Viterbo, Italy, the interiors of Villa Santa were filmed on multiple soundstages. From January to June 2023,The Decameronfilmed at Rome’s famous Cinecittà Studios, taking over Studios 5, 4, and 11 of the backlot(viaVariety). Despite filming at a studio, the production design is so detailed that it would be easy to mistake for an actual Italian villa. The sets blend the medieval and Renaissance styles of architecture and art, which is perfect because the 14th century marks the end of the Middle Ages and the start of the Renaissance.
Many notable movies and TV shows have used the same filming location. Around the same time asThe Decameron’s production,Anthony Hopkin’s gladiator showThose About to Diewas filmedat Cinecittà Studios on the Ancient Rome set. Other credits to Cinecittà Studios’ name includeBen-Hur(1959),Gangs of New York(2002),Everest(2015), and Mel Gibson’sPassion of the Christ(2004).
