Pitti Palace

"According to Vasari, the Palazzo Pitti was designed by Brunelleschi, although this cannot be proven. The construction of this impressive building was carried out in the second half of the 15th century. The work was commissioned by the Florentine merchant Luca Pitti, a friend and ally of Cosimo de Medici, and was carried out by Brunelleschi's apprentice Luca Fancelli. Luca Pitti wanted his residence to be the most imposing in the city. Pitti bought all the houses between his new building and the walkway up the hill to build the Boboli Gardens. A century later, Eleanor of Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de Medici, bought the building and from then on and for the next two centuries, the building was renovated and enlarged, practically as we know it today. With the extinction of the Medici family, the duchy and the building passed into the hands of the family of Lorraine and during the 19th century, Napoleon used it as a residence during his rule of Italy. The building became the property of the House of Savoy in 1860, when Tuscany became a province of the Kingdom of Italy. King Victor Emmanuel II used Palazzo Pitti as his residence during the years when Florence was the capital of Italy. Later, in 1919, his nephew Victor Emmanuel III donated Palazzo Pitti to the Italian State, and it became the seat of important museums in the city. Today, Palazzo Pitti contains important collections of sculptures, paintings, art objects, costumes and porcelain, in a huge museum complex comprising several museums: - Palatine Gallery: a spectacular gallery that was originally the Medici gallery, this gallery brings together works by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Correggio and other European artists belonging to the Renaissance and Baroque periods. - Gallery of Modern Art: a magnificent collection of paintings and sculptures, especially by Italian artists, ranging from the 18th century to the First World War. Inside, there are also some works by Italian artists from the 19th and early 20th centuries on display. - Costume Gallery (Galleria del Costume): this incredible collection of 6,000 items includes costumes from the 18th and 20th centuries, as well as costumes and accessories used in the theater. This is the only museum dedicated to the history of fashion in Italy, and also one of the most important in the world. - Silver Museum (Museo degli Argenti): also known as the "Medici Treasury". Here, objects such as Chinese and Japanese porcelain, ivory vases, precious stones, mosaics, crystals and especially jewelry, both from the Medici and from the 17th to the 20th centuries, are on display. - Porcelain Museum: this collection is the most beautiful in Europe in terms of porcelain objects. The original collection was supplemented by pieces belonging to the Savoia family and others that were brought from palaces in various parts of Italy."

"Originally built as a residence for the wealthy Pitti family in the 15th century, it later became the residence of the ruling Medici family and served as the seat of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Today, the palace houses several important museums, including the Palatine Gallery, the Royal Apartments, and the Gallery of Modern Art, showcasing an extensive collection of art, historical artifacts, and royal furnishings."

"The Pitti Palace is a Tuscan residence built in the mid-1400's. Most commonly known as the home of the Medici's, the palace was used as their main residence starting 1549. Today, the Pitti Palace holds over 20 rooms of artwork that was owned by the Medici's and offers guests a glimpse into the life of royalty."