Palazzo Pitti

The Palazzo Pitti, sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast, mainly Renaissance palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio. The core of the present palazzo dates from 1458 and was originally the town residence of Luca Pitti, an ambitious Florentine banker. It was later bought by the Medici family in 1549: as the official residence of the ruling families of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, it was enlarged and enriched almost continually over the following three centuries.

The Medici

The building was sold in 1549 by Buonaccorso Pitti, a descendant of Luca Pitti, to Eleonora of Toledo, the luxury-loving wife of Grand Duke Cosimo I de' Medici of Tuscany. It was now that land at the rear of the palazzo was acquired in order to create a large formal park, today known as the Boboli Gardens. The landscape architect employed for this was Niccolo Tribolo, who was quickly succeeded by Bartolommeo Ammanati. The original design of the gardens centred on an amphitheatre, behind the corps de logis of the palazzo, in which the classically inspired plays of Florentine playwrights such as Giovan Battista Cini were performed for the amusement of the cultivated Medici court, with elaborate sets designed by the court architect Baldassarre Lanci.

Related Topics:
1549 - Eleonora of Toledo - Cosimo I de' Medici - Boboli Gardens - Niccolo Tribolo - Bartolommeo Ammanati - Amphitheatre - Giovan Battista Cini - Baldassarre Lanci

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Following completion of the gardens, Ammanati turned his attentions to the palazzo itself, creating a large courtyard immediately behind the principal facade. This courtyard has heavy-banded rusticated stonework which was to be widely copied, most notably for the Parisian palais of Maria de' Medici, the Luxembourg. Ammanati also created what are known as the kneeling windows in the principal facade. These windows, probably so-called because with their classical pediments they resemble Prie dieux, replaced the earlier terminating entrances. In the 17th century, this facade was further extended to its present length by the father and son team of Giulio and Alfonso Parigi. During the 18th century, two perpendicular wings were constructed by the architect Giuseppe Ruggeri to enhance and stress the cour d'honneur, which is entered from the Via Romana. Sporadic lesser additions and alterations were made thereafter for many years under other rulers and architects.

Related Topics:
Parisian - Maria de' Medici - Luxembourg - Prie dieu - 17th century - Giulio - Alfonso Parigi - 18th century - Giuseppe Ruggeri

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