Italy is truly a magical country. Every inch is full of beauty and history. You can’t help but feel lucky to be constantly surrounded by such beautiful buildings. One piece of architecture that Florence is famous for is the Palazzo Pitti. It is located on the south side of the River Arno, near the Ponte Vecchio. It should be easy to find, it is hard to missing considering how huge the Palace is. The Palazzo Pitti also known as the Pitti Palace is a Renaissance Palace. It’s origin dates back to 1458 and was originally owned by Luca Pitti. It was bought by the Medici family in 1549 and became the residence of ruling families of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany from that point on. In the 18th century, the palace was used by Napoleon as a power base. Now, the Palace is the largest museum in Florence.
The building is 32,000 square meters and is divided into several galleries and museums, according to Triposo. https://www.triposo.com/poi/W__23701901
The design of the Palace is attributed to Filippo Brunelleschi and was completed by his assistant, Luca Fancelli, according to A View on Cities. http://www.aviewoncities.com/florence/palazzopitti.htm
When Luca Pitti died in 1473, the palace was unfinished. At the time it only had three large doors and a double row of seven windows on the front of the building. When the Medici family purchased the palace they extended the main front and rear sections. They constructed a corridor connecting the Palace with the Uffizi and the Palazzo Vecchio. This allowed members of the Medici family to cross the river without having to even step a foot outside. They wanted to live in a healthier neighborhood than their previous palace in the area of the Palazzo Vecchio. They also created the Italian Boboli Gardens which are located right behind the Palace. If you go to Palazzo Pitti I would recommend buying a ticket to the gardens as well because it is stunning. The palace and the gardens were developed together over a period of three centuries. For this reason, the Boboli Gardens became the model for other royal palaces all throughout Europe.
They built a large courtyard that you see right when you enter the front door. This connected the Palace to the Boboli Garden. The design of the courtyard has heavy channeled rustication that was widely copied. They also created the Artichoke Fountain on the terrace that boarders the courtyard which is breathtaking.
When the Hapsburg-Lorraine family owned the Palace in 1828 they added the two front wings with terraces and porches. They also renovated the interior. After these additions were made the original size of the square was tripled.
The 140 rooms that are open to the public are part of an interior that was created in two phases. One in the 17th century and the other in the early 18th century. There is a mixture of early interiors and later additions throughout the Palace. According to Triposo, in 2005 there was a discovery of forgotten 18th century bathrooms in the Palazzo that revealed amazing examples of contemporary plumbing.
In 1860 the Palace was passed to the Crown of Italy and was inhabited by Victor Emmanuel II who donated the palace in 1919 to the Italian State. Today the Palace is home to the Treasury of the Grand Dukes, the Palatine Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art and the Museum of Costume and Fashion.
The Gallery of Modern Art first opened for public viewing in 1928. It has been further enlarged and is now spread over thirty rooms.
The Palazzo Pitti is an institution that oversees twenty museums. It has responsibility for around 250,000 works of art. It was transformed from a royal palace to an amazing museum. It sits on an elevated site overlooking the city of Florence. Today, there is an organization of volunteers who raise funds and make decisions on the ongoing maintenance of the Palace.
The Palace is flooded with small details that make it magnificent. Every inch is designed with either artwork, tiles, brick, or statues. The most unique part of the Palace is its ceilings. Every single one is different and authentic. They are all so colorful and depict scenes of Gods and people.
The rusticated stonework of the Palace gives it a powerful atmosphere that has withstood the test of time. As far as lighting goes in the galleries and museums it is very minimal. Most of the light is natural with the exception of a few dim lights throughout the rooms.
The main gallery of the Palazzo is the Palatine Gallery. It holds a large selection of over 500 Renaissance paintings that were once part of the Medici’s’ private art collection.
A gentleman named Andrea was standing in one of the galleries providing information to the guests. He told us that the finest rooms in the Palace were decorated in the high baroque style by Pietro da Cortona. High baroque style is architecture that was popular from approximately 1625-1675. It is characterized by extreme emotion, detail and complexity. Baroque artists usually combined painting, sculpture and architecture to create an overwhelming experience, according to Wise Geek. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-high-baroque.htm
There have been additions and modifications to the Palace since it was originally built. Inside the courtyard on one side you will find a café and on the other a library/gift shop.
Here you can see the cafe and the library that have been added to the Palace for guests use.
Just when you think you have seen everything you come across another room full of authentic artwork, sculptures, jewels and more. Give yourself a few hours so you can get your money’s worth and explore the entire grounds.
The address is Piazza de’ Pitti 1, 50125 Firenze, Italy. The tickets are 16 Euros a person to enter the Palace and an additional 10 Euros if you want to enter the Boboli Gardens, according to the Uffizi website. https://www.uffizi.it/en/pitti-palace
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