If you’re headed to Oltrarno for a stroll through the Bóboli Gardens, it’s worth it to take some time to tour the Palazzo Pitti (Pitti Palace) as well. ... Other museums within the palace spotlight everything from historical fashion to household treasures once belonging to the Medici family.
Why is the Pitti Palace famous?
The Palazzo Pitti is Florence’s most important palace , and its combination of splendor, history, and the collections it houses make it one of the city’s most popular attractions. ... The Palazzo Pitti became the residence of the Italian kings (1864-1871) when Florence was the capital of a partially united Italy.
How big is the Pitti Palace?
The palace and its contents were donated to the Italian people by King Victor Emmanuel III in 1919. The palazzo is now the largest museum complex in Florence. The principal palazzo block, often in a building of this design known as the corps de logis, is 32,000 square metres .
Did the Medici live in the Pitti Palace?
Although it was inhabited for about four centuries by three dynasties , the Medici, the Hapsburg-Lorraine and the Savoy, the Palace still bears the name of its first owner, Luca Pitti, a Florentine merchant who had it built as his private residence in the middle of the 15th century. ...
Which Medici built the Pitti Palace?
The palace was designed by Michelozzo di Bartolomeo for Cosimo de’ Medici , head of the Medici banking family, and was built between 1444 and 1484. It was well known for its stone masonry, which includes architectural elements of rustication and ashlar.
Who owns Pitti palace?
The core of the present palazzo dates from 1458 and was originally the town residence of Luca Pitti, an ambitious Florentine banker. The palace was bought by the Medici family in 1549 and became the chief residence of the ruling families of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
When was the Pitti palace finished?
Pitti Palace – Florence. The palace, which houses several important museums, was built in the second half of the 15th century probably on a project of Filippo Brunelleschi for Luca Pitti, but was unfinished at his death in 1472 .
What does Pitti mean?
Pitti. Pitti, also known as Pakshipitti (pakshi meaning “ bird ” in Malayalam and Tamil), is an uninhabited coral islet in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India.
Is the Pitti Palace part of the Uffizi?
Pitti Palace | Uffizi Galleries. Purchased in 1550, the Palace was chosen by Cosimo I de’ Medici and his wife Eleanor of Toledo as the new Grand Ducal residence, and it soon became the new symbol of the Medici’s power over Tuscany.
Where did the Medici family live?
Birth of the Medici Dynasty
The Medici story began around the 12th century, when family members from the Tuscan village of Cafaggiolo emigrated to Florence . Through banking and commerce, the Medicis rose to become one of the most important houses in Florence.
Does the Medici home still stand?
San Lorenzo Church and the Medici Chapels – the final resting place of the Medici. On the subject of Medici palaces, we can’t not mention the place where most of the members of the Medici family are buried. This was the Church of San Lorenzo, and the Medici spent a great deal of time and money on its development.
Why was the Medici family so powerful?
The Medici family ruled the city of Florence throughout the Renaissance. They had a major influence on the growth of the Italian Renaissance through their patronage of the arts and humanism. The Medici family were wool merchants and bankers. Both businesses were very profitable and the family became extremely wealthy .
Can you visit the Medici House?
A unique private tour to find out more about the Medici Family and the essence of their main characters. This Italian banking family had a political dynasty that began under Cosimo de’ Medici in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century.
