Around the middle of the 16th century, Duke Alexander purchased the land spread which today is called Cascine Park, later enlarged by Cosimo I of he Medici's.
It was named so because of the farms and cattle breeding common in the area. Later, under Pietro Leopoldo, garden equipment structures and guard houses were constructed. The area was then opened to the public, but only on Ascension Day and for other special events.
At the beginning the only permanent building was the hunting quarters where the Medici family lived in the 1800's.Thanks to the Grand Duchess Elisa, the park became public and a long avenue, going all the way to the River Arno, and a large road, running along the shore of the river permitting carriages, were opened.
At that time Cascine Park had the aspect of a very romantic woods, while during the 1900's a part of the garden was sacrificed for the building of a sports facility and other permanent structures.
You can find many activities available in the Cascine Park area which include; a swimming pool, sports center, race track, horse riding, dancing at 'Le Meccano', bicycle rentals, concert facilities, university faculty of agriculture and the 'L' Indian bar ( called this because it is found near the monument erected to indicating the point that the ashes of an indian were scattered).