The Pitti Palace is one of the “highlights” of Florence, which gave the world Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante, Boccaccio, Petrarch, and Galileo. For tourists this is a place of real pilgrimage. Such an amount of educational and beautiful things existing in one city is unique. Literally - you can’t take a step here without touching something historically or artistically significant. Florence arose before our era (the founder was Julius Caesar himself!), but its heyday began in the 14th century, when Palazzo Pitti was built.
Child of the Quattrocento era
It was during this period that Florence became not only financial, commercial, but also cultural center Europe. Largely thanks to the wise rule of the Medici family. Cosimo Medici the Elder, who ruled in those years, was respected by the people, including for his modesty. Which forced him to abandon the implementation of the grandiose architectural masterpiece created by Filippo Brunelleschi and choose a more modest (at least in size) option. But among his “sworn friends” was the Florentine banker Luca Pitti. He not only participated in a conspiracy against his patron, but also took on the construction of a Palazzo that would be larger in size than all the Medici residences. This became the meaning of his whole life. But the patron died, the finances dried up, and soon the enterprising Luka himself passed away without completing what he started.
For some time, his descendants lived in the unfinished palace. Having become completely impoverished, they sold it to Cosimo the First, the grandson of Cosimo Medici the Elder. The new owner not only completed, but expanded, improved, and enriched the original project.
The uniqueness of Pitti Palace
Both architectural forms and stylistic elements give this building a strict, pretentious appearance. The cladding used a non-standard material for that time - rusticated stone. Outwardly, its untreated surface looks rough and harsh. The length of the structure is 205 meters, the height is almost 40. This is final version, which is twice the original project.
In the 16th century, the architect Giorgio Vasari created a unique corridor that connected Palazzo Pitti with no less unique residences - the Vecchio Palace and the Uffizi Gallery. This covered passage was erected over the bridge over the Arno River, which makes the bridge not just a crossing, but architectural monument. The bridge lives its own life. And the corridor gave the ruler of Florence the opportunity to safely move from the Vecchio Palace, where he worked, to the Pitti, where he lived. And at the same time, observe the bustling life of the city.
A powerful contrast is presented appearance and interior decoration of Palazzo Pitti. Behind the gloomy stone slabs is a luxurious interior filled with beautiful frescoes, paintings, tapestries, and stucco moldings. All this is in gold, silk, brocade. Splendor and grandeur
National treasure
Years and centuries passed. Tidbit - Pitti Palace was passed from hand to hand, from dynasty to dynasty. But the 20th century came, and in 1919 it was nationalized. Now this magnificence is completely open to people. Curious tourists have access to galleries of art, including modern art, museums of silver, porcelain, carriages, and costumes.
The Palatine Gallery is stunning. The fact is that the owners used the paintings as interior items. And they were sometimes placed with the aim of achieving decorative effect. It’s strange, of course, to look at some masterpieces with your head up at the ceiling. But this also gives the gallery a peculiar charm. As is the abundance of masterpieces collected in one place. Titian, Giorgione, Rubens, Van Dyck, Caravaggio, Veronese... The list could go on for a long time. There are more paintings by Raphael here than in any other museum in the world.
“The museum exceeded all expectations”, “one of the most interesting places in Florence”, “realized that we need to come back here”, “a week is not enough to enjoy all the exhibits on display” - these are the most frequent reviews of tourists who visited the Pitti Palace.
A large number of enthusiastic responses about the Silver Museum. Here you can see not only silver products, but also gold, precious stones, ivory, and crystal. The collection of vases, from antique to Byzantine and Venetian, leaves no one indifferent. The elegance of jewelry evokes admiration.
The best park ensemble of Renaissance Italy
Just behind the Pitti Palace there is a huge (4.5 hectares) park, named Boboli after the hill on which it is located. “If you don’t visit the Boboli Garden, you will miss half the possible joys of visiting Florence!” - this opinion is shared by many guests and tourists. Because the park is a kind of museum, filled with beautiful plants, fountains, sculptures, and gazebos. Nicolo Tribolo, a famous master of landscape art, participated in its creation. His work, interrupted by death, was continued by a whole galaxy of talented followers. The result is a work of art that represents and wildlife, and the creations of human hands.
At the intersection of art and science
While some other palaces and residences in the world can boast of sculptures, fountains, and gazebos with columns, there are no such unique grottoes as in Boboli Park. When creating grottoes, it is necessary to take into account the geographical, landscape, and technical features of the place, soil, and ground water. The creators of the famous grottoes fully succeeded in this. The first of them, the Grotto of Moses, elegantly solves the problem of the difference in levels: through it the amphitheater, located near the palace building, logically flows into the courtyard. The second grotto - Buontalenti Grotto - is a real dungeon of miracles. Here Michelangelo’s slaves are freed from the stone block, stalactites, like an evil rock, hang in the mysterious semi-darkness of the cave... And outside, near the grotto, there is a funny sculpture of an absurd naked man. They say that the prototype was the favorite jester of Cosimo the First.
The result of many years of envy today attracts thousands of tourists and art critics every day. The Pitti Palace in Florence was created with prerequisite: it was supposed to surpass the possessions of the Medici dynasty. However, fate loves to joke: and it was they who completed this grandiose construction.
Today Palazzo Pitti is museum complex, which is home to several galleries and museums, as well as a stunning park.
Brunelesco or Fancheli?
For many years it was believed that the Palazzo was designed by the legendary Florentine architect Brunelesco, but later researchers came to the conclusion that the work was supervised by a student of the genius, Luca Fancelli. And the customer of the palace was a local banker, whose name the entire complex now bears - Luca Pitti.
The history of the building takes us back to the 15th century, when Florence was ruled by representatives of the Medici dynasty. And Pitti, being their financier, organized a conspiracy against an influential family. The Palazzo was to become a symbol of his power.
According to the plan, the palace was supposed to be larger in size than any of the buildings erected by the Medici.
According to documents from the 15th century, the order clearly stated: the courtyard of the structure should be of such a size that the entire Medici palace could fit there. And the windows of the castle should not have been inferior in parameters to the doors of the castles of broken rulers.
To build such a gigantic structure required a lot of labor. Everyone was accepted for construction, including criminals and exiles. However, in 64 of the 15th century, the Ottoman Turks crippled European trade, Pitti ran out of money, and work was stopped. And eight years later, the banker died without seeing the greatest creation of his life, and his family was left to live in the unfinished palace.
At the beginning of the 16th century, power returned to the hands of the Medici, and they bought the building. Cosimo I gave it to his wife Eleanor of Toledo. And the work began with renewed vigor. They decided not to deviate too much from the original project, but the building was significantly expanded, doubling its area.
In addition, a closed passage (Vasari passage) to the Government building was conceived. The lands behind the palace were also purchased, on the territory of which today the Boboli Gardens are located. In the 19th century, the building was the residence of the King of Italy, whose descendants donated it to the state at the beginning of the 20th. After that, exhibition halls opened their doors on the territory of 150 premises.
In the early 2000s, during the reconstruction of the castle, workers discovered secret rooms (bathrooms), representing examples of 18th-century decoration.
Exterior
The Renaissance style is the basis of the three-story building in the shape of a perfect cube, covered with rough stone. Each span is ten meters high. The ground floor has giant doors and two floor-to-ceiling windows. The remaining spans are distinguished by huge windows connected by a balcony, and there is a loggia under the roof. You can get to the second floor bypassing the first, thanks to a staircase, which, by the way, was not in the original project.
The main architectural asset of the complex is the courtyard, recognized as the best example of its kind in the Renaissance style. The texture of the columns resembles trees, and on the outer walls of the building there are frescoes, one of which depicts the original appearance of Palazzo Pitti.
Semicircular extensions erected in the 19th century made the palace area completely enclosed. The left wing that was erected was called the “Rondo of Bacchus” (the building contains a sculpture of the same name). The right one is called the “Carriage Rondo”.
Palace interiors
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the interior decoration also underwent changes in accordance with fashion requirements. The interiors received visible signs of restoration and neoclassicism.
Today, there are numerous galleries and museums inside the palace, but the Medici dynasty once lived among all these works of art.
They brought all the sculptures and paintings here famous artists, works made of silver and stones. So a luxurious gallery appeared on the second floor of the building long before it was opened to the public. The walls were painted by Pietro da Cortona. Since then, the paintings have hung in the same order.
Museum complex
Palazzo Pitti is the whole city, uniting the beauty created by both nature and people.
In front of the palace there is a sloping square, which has received a lot of reviews. It attracts tourists and local residents dreaming of a vacation. Representatives of the creative community and travelers often take photos here or lie directly on the ground.
And behind the Palazzo are the amazing Boboli Gardens. Dense green alleys lead into mysterious labyrinths, between which nestled street sculptures (each of high historical value!) and fountains, gazebos and terraces.
Versailles and other most beautiful European parks were created in the image and likeness of these gardens.
The amphitheater, topped by an Egyptian obelisk, is the main platform of the garden, where the main celebrations of the royal family took place in past centuries. During the time of the Medici, it was on its territory that lavish receptions were given, and Italian actors and opera singers. Exhibitions and concerts are still held in the garden today.
Park opening hours: from 8.15 to 16.30 from November to February, until 17-30 in March, until 18-30 in September and October, until 19-30 in the summer.
Palatine Gallery
The Baroque halls were opened to the public in the 1920s. Then visitors could admire the works of Caravaggio, Tintoretto, Velazquez, Van Dyck, Raphael (11 works are the most large collection in the world!) and other masters of the Renaissance. Now in 30 halls and passages you can see Rubens, Botticelli, Titian, Murillo. Widely represented and more later art Italian masters(until early 20s). There are more than 500 paintings in total.
When purchasing a ticket, be aware that it also gives you the right to visit the gallery contemporary art.
Gallery of Contemporary Art
The works of masters who worked in the 19th and 20th centuries are presented here. Particularly interesting are the paintings of artists who called themselves “Macchiaioli”.
Silver Museum
When moving to Palazzo Pitti, the Medici took with them a legendary collection of silver, which today can be seen in a special museum located on the territory. This is not only silverware, but also amazingly designed vases and other items.
Carriage and Costume Museum
More than 6 thousand exhibits of fashion and style are exhibited in the Petit Palazzo Pitti. There is also a transport museum on site, displaying the first carriages, beautiful carriages and cars.
Location on the map
Address: Florence, Piazza Pitti, 1. You can get there on foot along the southern bank of the Arno through Ponte Vecchio, and then along Via Guicciardini. It will lead to Pitti Square. Or by buses 11 and 36 (San Felice stop).
Telephone: +39 055 294883.
Opening hours of museums and galleries: from 8.15 to 18.50, Sunday – closed.
Price: 12 € for all museums before 16-00 and 9 € after.
To avoid queues at the cash register, you can use online service purchase tickets on the official website of the museum center: www.polomuseale.firenze.it.
The Medici treasury, museums of porcelain, silver, carriages, costume galleries, modern art and the Palatine Gallery can be visited by Palazzo Pitti - a Florentine landmark that amazes not only with the richness of the collection, but also with the grandeur of its size.
How to get there
Address: Piazza dei Pitti Firenze, Italy. You can get there by buses No. 11 and 36. Stop San Felice.
Opening hours: 8:00 – 19:00 (every day except Monday)
An ancient palace, named after its first owner and located on the square “his own estate,” is not at all uncommon in Italy. The huge, largest museum complex in Florence can be safely included in the list of such “named” palaces. Today, its building on Pitti Square is simply a city museum, but a few centuries ago it shone with truly royal grandeur, because the Medici and the Dukes of Lorraine “did not disdain” the house of a Florentine banker and turned it into a royal residence.
Palazzo Pitti. Pages of history
The history of the creation of Palazzo Pitti in Florence (especially its early stage) is a mixture historical facts, stories of contemporaries and guesses of historians. It is undeniable that Florence at the beginning of the 15th century was under the rule of the Medici family. One of Cosimo Medici's devoted friends and assistants was at that time a very wealthy banker, Luca Pitti. For the assistance provided to the government, he did not hesitate to regularly accept generous gifts, and was even knighted. As it turned out, the friendship of the aging Medici and the ambitious Pitti did not stand the test of power, and in the summer of 1458 the latter organized a conspiracy against the Medici, achieving the election of a new government.
But the simple overthrow of Luca Pitti's former friend and patron was not enough. In the same year, the banker began construction of his own palace, which in design would surpass any of the houses of the former ruling family. Some historical documents indicate that the architect was commissioned to create a palace so majestic that its courtyard could fit the Medici palace, and its windows would surpass the entrance of the house of a former friend.
In the 16th century, Vasari claimed that the creation of such a grandiose structure was entrusted to Filippo Brunelleschi. But recent research proves that the architect of Palazzo Pitti was his student Luca Francelli. The historians' version is confirmed by the fact that Brunelleschi died 12 years before the construction of the palace in Florence began. Almost everyone who could be useful to one degree or another was involved in the large-scale construction process. Machiavelli wrote that even citizens expelled from the city and fugitive criminals found refuge in the palace. Despite the boldness of the architectural design and the severity of the rusticated stone facade, the Florentine Palazzo Pitti never surpassed the Medici palaces in calm and grandeur.
The death of Cosimo de' Medici and the disruption of trade relations led to the ruin of many once rich families. The Pitti themselves were no exception. In 1464 they had to stop the construction of the palace, and 6 years later the owner of the house himself died without ever seeing it ready. Nevertheless, the Pitti still retained some influence, since they continued to live in the family palace. But it didn't last long. Already in 1537, Cosimo I returned power to the Medici in Florence, and in 1549 he bought the Palazzo from the completely impoverished descendants of Luca Pitti and gave it to his wife Eleonora of Toledo.
True, the new ruler was not satisfied with the size of the palace, and he decided to expand it, taking the original project as a basis. Due to expansion back side the building was almost doubled in size. Ultimately, the length of the building reached 205 meters and the height - 38 meters, and its interior was divided into parts by arches with pilasters. In order to unite the Palazzo Pitti with the Palazzo Vecchio, where government meetings were held at that time, Giorgio Vasari built a covered corridor in 1565, passing through the palace and the Ponte Vecchio. The land behind the palace was also bought by the Medici, and a little later a beautiful park was laid out there, familiar to today's tourists as.
Until 1737, the Pitti Palace remained the official residence of the Medici, until the death of the last direct descendant of the Medici. male line Gian Gastone. For some time, the sister of the last Medici lived in the house. With her death, the line was finally interrupted, and the palace, and with it the power, passed to the new Grand Duke of Tuscany from the House of Lorraine. Austrian rule was briefly interrupted by Napoleon, and in 1860 the Lorraine family was replaced at Palazzo Pitti by the Savoy dynasty. During the Risorgimento liberation movement, Florence became the capital of Italy; in 1865–1871, King Victor Emmanuel II lived in the palace, and in 1919, his grandson Victor Emmanuel III nationalized and donated the house to the state.
Following the successful nationalization, Palazzo Pitti in Florence and the surrounding gardens were divided into a museum and five art galleries. About 140 premises are open to visitors and exhibition halls, the design of the interior decoration of which took place in the 17th and XVIII centuries. During the 2005 reconstruction, several previously hidden rooms were discovered - 18th-century bathrooms. Surprisingly, the water supply system in them differs little from modern ones.
About the architectural features of Palazzo Pitti in Florence
Florence's Palazzo Pitti is not only one of the largest palaces in the country. It can rightfully be considered one of the most impressive. Of course, the exterior decoration of a building typical of Renaissance architecture was somewhat unexpected for those times. The three-story cube, equal in depth and height, is covered on the outside with rough rusticated stone, usually used for cladding. public buildings, but not residential buildings. Three big entrance doors lead to the palace, each of the floors of which is more than 10 meters high. Seven windows are located on the second and third floors; the façade windows are connected by a long balcony, and a loggia is located directly under the roof.
True, the first reconstruction, initiated by Cosimo Medici, led to a change in the appearance of the palazzo: the side entrances were turned into floor windows, and, thanks to the new staircase, one could get directly to the second floor. But the main changes made to the layout of Ammanati concern the courtyard. This is one of the most beautiful Renaissance courtyards. Rough and smooth textures alternate on the interior walls of the palace, and rough columns resembling tree trunks emphasize the proximity of wildlife and art.
The last architectural changes were made at the end of the 18th century. early XIX century. Architects Poccianti and Paoletti added a semicircular wing on both sides of the palace, as a result of which the palazzo area was surrounded by walls with three sides. In honor of the nearby statue of Bacchus, the left wing was called the “Rondo of Bacchus,” while the right wing was called the “Carriage Rondo.”
Interior of Palazzo Pitti from the 18th century to the present day
Unfortunately, the interior decoration of the rooms from the times of Pitti and Medici has not been preserved, and most of the rooms gravitate towards the style of neoclassicism. For example, the white room with frescoes by the Albertoli brothers was “brought to neoclassical” by the architects Castagnoli and Terreni, and Giuseppe Ciaccialli created the famous Napoleon’s bath and the vestibule of Maria Bourbon, which are silent witnesses to the French pages in the history of the palace.
Today, the interior of Palazzo Pitti amazes with its luxury: white and gold stucco, silk wallpaper and valuable tapestries, frescoes and furniture from the Napoleonic era...
Palatine Gallery
The collection of the Palazzo Pitti gallery began with the Medici, who transported sculptures, paintings, silverware and jewelry from the Palazzo Vecchio. The Dukes of Lorraine continued their work. At the same time, luxurious premises in the Baroque style became an excellent backdrop for works of art, and paintings by masters became a worthy decor. Almost immediately, the entire second floor was turned into a gallery, in which the mythological halls of Apollo, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn, painted by the well-known Pietro da Cortona, were worthy of special attention.
By and large, the resulting unique collection of paintings was initially brought to the palace only as decoration. Even today, the paintings are located on the walls of Plazzo Pitti as the owners hung them. And they are not at all grouped by halls or artists, as it should be in a museum. Despite this, not a single museum in the world can boast of such a collection of Raphael’s works. There are eleven of his paintings here. And also Caravaggio, Titian, Rubens, Van Dyck, Tintoretto, Pontormo, Murillo and many other representatives of Florentine and Venetian schools painting.
Gallery of Contemporary Art
Here visitors will be able to get acquainted with the works of masters of brushes over late period– XIX – XX centuries. Special attention worthy of the work of representatives of the Florentine group “Macchiaioli”. The group of like-minded people received this name for their free style of writing in the form of various color spots (from the Italian macchia - spot).
Silver Museum
The unique collection of art objects not only from Italian masters amazes the imagination in the Silver Museum. Of course, its main highlight is the collection of vases of Lorenzo the Magnificent. There are vases from the Sassanid Empire, ancient Roman amphorae, Byzantine creations, and even works by the Venetians of the 14th century. But the Palazzo Pitti Silver Museum is famous not only for its vases. Precious stones, items made of ivory, silver and gold are “scattered” throughout different rooms and create an atmosphere of fabulous wealth. What is one Piazza della Signori worth in miniature, laid out precious stones and gold!
In addition, in the carriage museum you can see the first cars and carriages without springs. In the Costume Museum, located in the Small Palace, see a collection of 6,000 costumes and accessories. And in the right wing of the Palazzo it is worth visiting the royal apartments and feeling like a crowned person.
As you can see, Palazzo Pitti in Florence is worthy of the attention of tourists. It receives visitors every day, except Mondays, from 8.00 to 19.00. However, entry usually stops at 17.30. This is not surprising. To explore the Palatine Gallery alone with its 500 paintings will take more than one hour.
Going to Florence - the birthplace of the Renaissance and greatest masters of this era: Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Dante - you definitely need to stay in this city for at least a week: in less time you simply will not be able to get around all the sights: palaces and temples, museums and squares... Behind every new turn of the ancient streets there will be more and more new wonders are opening up, for example, Palazzo Pitti. Palazzo Pitti in Florence is the largest palazzo in the city and one of the largest and most majestic in Italy, its history goes back 560 years, and today it is a whole treasure trove of museum exhibitions that will be of interest to every inquisitive tourist.
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History of construction
The first stone of the new palace was laid in 1458, the construction itself lasted six years - quite a bit for those times. But even this was enough for the history of the construction of the palazzo to be shrouded in a whole heap of legends and assumptions. Unfortunately, today historians can no longer say for sure where is the truth and where is fiction?
Luca Pitti, the richest Florentine banker who rivaled Cosimo de Medici himself in influence and wealth, was both the latter’s friend and rival at the same time. It is known that Pitti even plotted against the Medici - not in order to overthrow him or kill him, but to force him to listen to his opinion in political matters.
And the Medici were forced to listen: it was under the influence of Pitti in the mid-15th century that Florence was temporarily restored democratic system power, and elections again began to be organized by lot, and not by the right of kinship and inheritance. At the same time, in recent years During his life, the Medici gave Pitti generous gifts.
The construction of a new palace was a matter of honor for Pitti: they say that he wanted to “outdo” his friend’s palaces in size and grandeur. In terms of size, it definitely worked out: Palazzo Pitti, even after five and a half centuries, is the largest in the city and one of the largest in the country. With majesty - fifty-fifty: although the building looks majestic and monumental, it has always been and is still accused of being dull and cumbersome, and it was not possible to “overtake” the Medici. The taste and color, as they say...
Legends say that Pitti ordered the windows of his new palazzo to be made larger than the gates in the Medici palaces, and also that for the entire six years while construction was underway, fugitive criminals took refuge here: Pitti and his people covered up swindlers, thieves and even murderers in exchange for that they would work at a construction site, and the construction itself was supposedly carried out day and night, without breaks and weekends. Whether all this is true or not is now impossible to say.
In 1464, construction was forced to stop. Most of the palace was ready by that time, but some improvements were still required, the design of the facade and interior decoration. But Pitti could no longer invest in his life’s work: his friend and patron Cosimo Medici died, Girolamo Savonarola, known in history as a merciless dictator, who also zealously condemned wealth and luxury, came to power, and the former banker began to have serious financial problems. He was unable to cope with them, and in 1472, having noticeably lost his fortune, he died, leaving the unfinished palace to his descendants.
But Luca’s descendants were unable to keep the building in the family heritage: in 1549, the finally bankrupt Bonaccosro Pitti - it is not known for certain whether he was Luca’s son, grandson or another relative - was forced to sell the palazzo. Its new owner was Eleonora of Toledo, the wife of another Cosimo de' Medici, and it was under their patronage that the building was completed and expanded.
It is unknown who was the architect of the original version of the palazzo. There are suggestions that it was Brunelleschi and his apprentice Francelli, but modern historians agree only with the second name: Brunelleschi himself died several years before the laying of the first stone of the future palace. During the time of Cosimo and Eleanor, construction was carried out under the leadership of Giorgio Vasari and Bartolomeo Ammanati themselves. The most remarkable fact is that between the Palazzo Pitti and the Palazzo Vecchio, the previous residence of the Medici, a huge corridor was built, which made it possible to move between the palaces without going outside.
Under the son of Cosimo and Eleanor, Ferdinand the First Medici, all the main wealth and huge collection jewelry of the famous dynasty. Even later, the building belonged to the Lorraine and Savoy families. At the beginning of the 20th century, the palazzo was nationalized, that is, transferred to the state, several museums were opened here and art galleries. Today, Palazzo Pitti is one of the most visited tourist spots in Florence; various excursions are held here every day.
Architecture
Stylistically, Palazzo Pitti belongs to the Quattrocento (this term, by the way, was also born in Florence): it combines the imagery of the Middle Ages, the norms Christian culture and trends of the Proto-Renaissance. The powerful and majestic building of the palazzo seems to be pressing from above, forcing you to obediently lower your gaze. But this is what Luca Pitti wanted: the same facing of the façade with rustication—roughly hewn stone—hints at the fact that the palace, in his understanding, was supposed to make a formidable and tough impression.
The building has three floors, and each upper floor is smaller than the previous one, so the palace seems to go up, like Egyptian pyramid. This clear division is also noticeable thanks to the semicircular arches and pilasters, which were made already in the time of Eleanor of Toledo. However, it is believed that Vasari and Ammanati followed the original concept and plans made during Pitti’s lifetime.
Palatine Gallery
The Palatine Gallery - or Palatine Gallery - in itself, even without the masterpieces of painting exhibited there, is very beautiful and original. Some halls, painted by the Italian Pietro da Cortona, represent a common mythological drawing and are even named after ancient Roman and ancient greek gods: Venus - goddess of beauty and fertility, - Apollo - god of light and patron of the arts, - Mars - god of war and agriculture, – Jupiter – the supreme god, – and Saturn – the god of agriculture and time.
As for the gallery’s paintings, the Medicis began to collect them, then the work was continued by the Lorraines. It is here, in the Pitti Palace, that the world's largest collection of Raphael's masterpieces: as many as eleven paintings! There are also works by such famous masters as Titian, Rubens, Van Dyck and Caravaggio.
Gallery of Contemporary Art
In addition to masterpieces of the Renaissance, Palazzo Pitti is famous for its gallery of modern art, where paintings by 19th-century painters are exhibited. Most of them wrote in the macchiaioli technique (another Florentine word!) - a special style characterized by a free manner and pronounced “spots”. It is quite possible that it was from Macchiaioli that Impressionism grew.
Treasures of the Grand Dukes
The second name is the Silver Museum. The museum is quite impressive: almost thirty rooms, and one is more luxurious and richer than the other. This collection was also collected by the Medici family: here are masterfully cast, carved, elegant table silver, and jewelry of the legendary dynasty, and coral and pearl souvenirs, and miniature figurines carved from cherry pits and ivory, and Byzantine vases, and amphorae from eastern countries, and masterpieces of Venetian jewelry, and precious and semi-precious stones, and delightful transparent amber... Similar luxurious and rich collections can only be found in the halls of the Louvre and the Hermitage.
Museum of Fashion and Costume
This collection is relatively young - the museum opened only in 1983. However, today it already has more than 6 thousand exhibits, and every self-respecting publication has long ago included it in its lists best museums fashion and costume in the world.
Of course, most of the costumes in the collection are Italian: masterpieces by Mariano Fortuny, Maria Galenga, Elsa Schiaparelli. All these women are famous designers and fashion designers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was through their efforts that modern Italian fashion developed. There are also costumes of aristocratic society of the 18th-20th centuries, and theatrical costumes, and some jewelry and clothes of famous Italian actresses, for example, Eleonora Duse. Here are famous works from the collections of the magnificent Coco Chanel.
In addition, the fashion museum also has vehicles: carriages, carts, and the first cars. You can see complete compositions when next to female and male mannequins in costumes of certain years there is vehicle the same time.
Since fabric deteriorates very quickly in the light, all exhibits are under glass, and the room itself is twilight and cool. In addition, to ensure that the costumes do not remain on mannequins for too long, the entire exhibition is completely changed every two years. Temporary exhibitions change even more frequently. You can take photographs here, but only without flash. In addition, when going to the Fashion and Costume Museum, be sure to dress warmly.
Royal and Imperial Apartments
Let's take a walk to the left bank of the Arno River and walk to Piazza Pitti, where the largest Florentine palace is located - Palazzo Pitti. The palace houses as many as six museums, and behind it is a huge blooming Boboli Garden
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About three hundred meters from Ponte Vecchio on the left bank of the Arno River right along Via de "Guicciardini there is a huge, by the standards of Florence, sloping Pitti Square, where the largest Florentine palace is located - Palazzo Pitti. Outwardly not attractive, devoid of features characteristic of Florence at that time decorations, the palace has truly impressive dimensions, worthy not only of Florence, but also of Rome itself.
The city banker Luca Pitti began to build this building back in 1458, as a home for himself and his family. The banker planned to name this grandiose structure in his honor - Palazzo Pitti. The dimensions were not chosen by chance; Pitti really wanted to surpass the size of the palace of his own ruler, the Medici, and he ordered the windows in his house larger than the doors in the Palazzo Medici. But, alas, a little later he was beset by financial difficulties and Luca Pitti died in 1472 without having completed the construction of his own palace.
The unfinished palace was bought by the descendants of the Medici, and construction resumed in the 1570s. The new owners significantly modified the appearance of the building; the architect Vasari supervised the construction. The “New Medicis” wanted to expand the building, so a large extension appeared on the back side of the building, increasing the area of the palace by 2 times. Vasari also created an overhead passage (yes, the same famous “Vasari corridor”) that connected the Pitti Palace, the Vecchio Palace, the Ponte Vecchio bridge and the Uffizi Gallery. With the help of such a corridor, members of the ruling family could quickly and safely move from one building to another.
Museums of Palazzo Pitti
A modern tourist does not have to admire the extra-rotten view of the palace, but not a single tourist will pass by Palazzo Pitti. Nowadays there are several quite interesting and entertaining museums here, and behind the palace are the luxurious Boboli Gardens
There are six museums in Palazzo Pitti:
- Gallery of Contemporary Art;
- Palatine Gallery;
- Costume gallery;
- Porcelain Museum;
- Silver Museum;
- Carriage Museum.
The Palatine Gallery is considered the main one, but only because this gallery represents the history and decoration of the palace. This is what the interior of Palazzo Pitti looks like.
Boboli Gardens
Just behind the Pitti Palace are the famous Boboli Gardens. There will be a little more photos here, because many people come to Florence in winter, and most doubt whether to go or not to go. My opinion is that as much as time and energy allow, you should definitely go!
The gardens, as I already said, start right behind Palazzo Pitti
A little Wikipedia:
The Boboli Gardens were founded on the orders of Eleanor of Toledo, wife of Grand Duke Cosimo I (Medici). The arrangement of the park was entrusted to Niccolò Tribolo, and after his death in 1550, his work was continued by Bartolomeo Ammanati; Giorgio Vasari also participated in the design and construction of several grottoes.
The main axial path, leading between cypresses and holm oaks to the rear facade of Palazzo Pitti, begins at the bottom of the amphitheater, reminiscent in its shape of half a classical hippodrome, and rises up to Boboli Hill. The very first opera performances in the world took place in this amphitheater.
Alleys of the park
Some modern art
Fountain sculptures
Walking through the park you can come across delicious compositions :)
You can post a whole gallery of photos, but it’s better to see everything with your own eyes. You can walk here for a very long time; the territory of the park is more than 4.5 hectares. For clarity and scale, a map of the left bank of Florence:
Well, after uniting with nature, you can return to art :)