Palazzo Vecchio
The
Palazzo Vecchio is the
town hall of
Florence, Italy. This massive,
gothic,
crenellated fortress-palace is among the most impressive town halls of
Tuscany. Overlooking the
Piazza della Signoria with its famous David statue as well the gallery of statues in the adjacent
Loggia dei Lanzi, it is one of the most significant public places in Italy.
Originally called the
Palazzo della Signoria, after the
Signoria of Florence, the ruling body of the
Republic of Florence, it was also given several other names :
Palazzo del Populo,
Palazzo dei Priori and
Palazzo Ducale, in accordance with the varying use of the palace during its long history.
At the end of the 12th c., Florence decided to build a palace, deserving its importance and giving greater security, in times of turbulence, to the magistrates. Arnolfo di Cambio, the architect of the
Duomo and the Santa Croce church, began construction it upon the ruins of
Palazzo dei Fanti and
Palazzo dell'Esecutore di Giustizia, once owned by the Uberti family. He incorporated the ancient tower of the Vacca family as the substructure of the tower into its facade; this is why the rectangular tower (height 94 m) is not in centered in the building. This tower contains two small cells, that, at different times, imprisoned Cosimo the Elder (1435) and
Girolamo Savonarola (1498). The tower is named after its designer
Torre d'Arnolfo. The solid cubicle shaped building is enhanced by the simple tower with its
Lederle clock.
The large, one-handed clock was originally constructed by the Florentine
Nicolò Bernardo, but was replaced in 1667 by a clock made by
Vincenzo Viviani.
The present palace resulted from three successive building stages between the 13th-16th centuries. After Arnolfo's death in 1302, the palace was finished by others in 1314. By that time, it was the seat of the
Signoria, the city council consisting of guild masters (
priori) (among them
Dante in 1300), and the chief justice (
gonfaloniere della giustizia).
The cubical building is built in solid rustic stonework, with two rows of two-lighted Gothic windows, each with a trefoil arch.
Michelozzo Michelozzi added decorative bas-reliefs of the cross and the lily in the
spandrels between the trefoils. The building is crowned with projecting crenellated battlement, supported by small arches and
corbels. Under the arches are a repeated series of nine painted coats of arms of the Florentine republic. Some of these arches can be used as
embrasures (
spiombati) for dropping boiling oil or rocks on eventual invaders.
It has served as government seat for numerous leaders, including the
Duke of Athens,
Walter VI of Brienne. He started with the first alterations (1342-1343), giving the palace the aspect of a fortress. But the most alterations were made during 1440-60, under
Cosimo de' Medici (the elder), with renaissance-style decorations in the Hall of the Two Hundred and the first courtyard (by
Michelozzo). The Hall of the Five Hundred was built during the republic of Savonarola. From 1540 to 1550 it was the home of
Cosimo I de' Medici, who had
Vasari enlarge the palace to fit the delicate tastes of the grand-ducal court. The palace was more than doubled by the addition of a new block onto the rear.
The name was officially changed after Cosimo moved to the
Pitti Palace, renaming his former palace the
Palazzo Vecchio, the "Old Palace", although the adjacent town square, the
Piazza della Signoria, still bears the old name. Vasari also built an above-ground walkway from the palace, through the Uffizi, above the
Ponte Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti.
Cosimo I also moved the seat of government to the Uffizi. The palace gained new importance as seat of United Italy's provisional government from 1865-71, at a moment that Florence had become the capital of the kingdom of Italy.
Although most of the Palazzo Vecchio is now a
museum, it remains the symbol of local government, and still houses, since 1872, the office of the mayor of Florence and is the seat of the City Council.
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Entrance with frontispiece. |
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Courtyard with Boy with a Fish by Verrocchio. |
Above the front entrance door, there is a notable ornamentive marble
frontispiece, dating from 1528. In the middle, flanked by two gilded lions, is the
Monogram of Christ, surrounded by a glory, above the text (
in Latin): "Rex Regum et Dominus Dominantium" (translation: "Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords". This text dates from 1851 and does not replace an earlier text by Savonarola, as mentioned in many guidebooks. Until 1851 they had been concealed since 1529 behind a large shield with the grand-ducal coat of arms.
Michelangelo's David also stood at the entrance from its completion in 1504 to 1873, when it was moved to the
Accademia. A replica erected in 1910 now stands in its place, flanked by
Baccio Bandinelli's
Hercules and Cacus.
First Courtyard
The first courtyard was designed in 1453 by Michelozzo. In the lunettes, high around the courtyard, are crests of the Church and City Guilds. In the center, the porphyry fountain is by
Battista del Tadda. The
Winged Boy with a Dolphin on top of the basin is a copy of the original by
Verrocchio (1476), now on display on the second floor of the palace. This small statue was originally placed in the garden of the villa of the Medici in Careggi. The water, flowing through the nose of the dolphin, is brought here by pipes from the
Boboli gardens.
In the niche, in front of the fountain, stands
Samson and Philistine by
Pierino da Vinci.
The frescoes on the walls, representing scenes of the Austrian
Hapsburg estates, were painted in 1565 by
Giorgio Vasari for the wedding celebration of Francesco, the eldest son of Cosimo I de' Medici and Johanna of Austria, sister of the Emperor Maximilian. The harmoniously proportioned columns, a one time smooth, and untouched, were at the same time richly decorated with gilt stuccoes.
The barrel vaults are furnished with grotesque decorations.
Second Courtyard
The second courtyard, also called "The Customs", contains the massive pillars built in 1494 by Cronaca to sustain the great
"Salone dei Cinquecento" on the second floor.
Third Courtyard
The third courtyard was used mainly for offices of the city. Between the first and second courtyard the massive and monumental stairs by Vasari lead up to the
"Salone dei Cinquecento".
This most imposing chamber has a length of 52 m (170 ft) and 23 m (75 ft) broad. It was built in 1494 by
Simone del Pollaiolo, on commission of Savonarola who, replacing the Medici after his exile as the spiritual leader of the Republic, wanted it as a seat of the Grand Council (
Consiglio Maggiore) consisting of 500 members.
Later the hall was enlarged by Vasari so that Grand Duke Cosimo I could hold his court in this chamber. During this transformation famous (but unfinished) works were lost, including the
"Battle of Cascina" by
Michelangelo ([
1]), and the
" Battle of Anghiari" by
Leonardo (copy by
Rubens in the
Louvre ([
2]), with which the artists were supposed to decorate the walls of the room.
When Florence was the capital of Italy, representatives held their meetings there (1865-1871).
The decorations in this hall were made by Giorgio Vasari and his helpers (1555-1572): among them
Livio Agresti from
Forlì. They mark the culmination of
mannerism and make this hall the showpiece of the palace.
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Defeat of the Pisans at San Vincenzo. |
On the walls are large and expansive frescoes that depict battles and military victories by Florence over
Pisa and
Siena :
The Taking of Siena The Conquest of Porto Ercole The Victory of Cosimo I at Marciano in Val di Chiana Defeat of the Pisans at the Tower of San VincenzoMaximillian of Austria Attempts the Conquest of LeghornPisa Attacked by the Florentine TroopsThe ceiling consists of 39 panels also constructed and painted by Vasari and his assistants, representing
Great Episodes from the life of Cosimo I, the quarters of the city and the city itself and towards the center is the
apotheosis :
Scene of His Glorification as Grand Duke of Florence and TuscanyOn the north side of the hall, illuminated by enormous windows, is the raised stage called the
"Udienza", built by
Bartolommeo Bandinelli for Cosimo I to receive citizens and ambassadors. Above are frescoes of historical events; among these, that of
Boniface VIII receiving the ambassadors of foreign States and , seeing that were all Florentines said these famous words, "You Florentines are the quintessence".
In the niches are sculptures by Bandinelli: in the center the statue of the seated
Leo X (sculpted assisted by his scholar
Vincenzio Rossi), and on the right a statue of
Charles V crowned by Clement VII.
There are also numerous bombastic Medicean tapestries on the walls, including
Stories of the Life of St. John the Baptist, taken from the frescoes of
Andrea del Sarto.
The six statues along the walls that represent the
Labors of Hercules are by a rather obscure sculptor
Vincenzo de' Rossi, a pupil of
Bandinelli.
In the central niche at the south of the Hall is Michelangelo's famous marble group
The Genius of Victory (1533-1534), originally intended for the tomb of
Julius II. The statue was taken from the
Bargello Museum.
At the end of the hall is situated a small sideroom without windows. This masterpiece, the Studiolo or the Studio of
Francesco I de' Medici was also designed by Vasari in a manneristic style (1570-1575). The walls and the barrel vault are filled with paintings, stucco and sculptures. Most paintings are by the School of Vasari and represent the four elements : water, fire, earth and air. The portrait of Cosimo I and his wife Eleonora of Toledo was made by Bronzino. The delicate bronze sculptures were made by
Giambologna and
Bartolomeo Ammanati. Dismantled within decades of its construction, it has only been re-assembled in this century.
The other rooms on the first floor are the
Quartieri monumentali. These rooms, the Residence of the Priors and the Quarters of Leo X, are used by the mayor as offices and reception rooms. They are not accessible to the public.
A staircase, designed by Vasari leads to the second floor. This floor contains the Chapel of Signoria, the Hall of Justice (
"Sala delle Udienze"), the Room of the Lilies (Sala dei Gigli), the Study Room and the Apartments of the Elements.
The Apartments of the Elements
These apartments (
Sala degli Elementi) consist of five rooms (such as the Room of Ceres) and two
loggias. The commission for these rooms was originally given by Cosimo I to Battista del Tasso. But on his death, the decorations were continued by Vasari and his helpers, working for the first time for the Medicis. These rooms were the private quarters of Cosimo I.
The walls in the Room of the Elements are filled with allegorical frescoes
Allegories of Water, Fire and Earth and, on the ceiling, represents
Saturn.
The original statue ''Boy with a Fish' by Verrocchio is on exhibit in one of the smaller rooms (the copy stands on the fountain in the first courtyard).
Terrace of Saturn
This splendid Loggiato of Saturn, called because of the ceiling motif, with its Florentine roof. From there one has a wonderful southeastern view on
Piazzale Michelangelo and the
Fortress Belvedere. One can also see the remains of the
Church of Saint Pietro Scheraggio.
The Hercules Room
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Polychrome Madonna and Child. |
This room (the Sala di Ercole) gets its name from the subject of the paintings on the ceiling. Also the tapestries show stories of
Hercules. The room contains a
Madonna and Child and an ebony cabinet called a
stipo inlaid with semi-precious stones.
The Room of Jupiter
The room is named for the fresco on the ceiling. On the walls are Florentine tapestries made from cartoons by
Stradano (14th century).
The Room of Cybele
On the ceiling, the
Triumph of Cybele and the
Four Seasons. Against the walls are cabinets in tortoise shell and bronze. The floor was made in 1556. From the window one can see the third courtyard.
The Ceres Room
The room gets its name from the motif on the ceiling, by
Doceno, a pupil of Vasari. On the walls are Florentine tapestries with hunting scenes, from cartoons by Stradano.
Sala Verde
Called the Green Room because of the color of the walls. With decorations on the ceiling by
Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio. On the right is the Chapel frescoed by
Bronzino (1564) with the
Stories of Moses. Also by Bronzino is the large
Pietà on the altar. The small door in the room indicates the beginning of the passageway built by Vasari with orders from Cosimo I to the Pitti Palace.
The Room of the Sabines
It was named because of the ceiling decoration. At one time it was used for the Ladies-in-waiting at the court of
Eleanor de Toledo. It contains
Portraits of Medici Princes by
Susterman, statues by a Florentine art school and a tapestry by
Fevère.
Dining Room
On the ceiling is the
Coronation of Esther decorated by Stradano, with an inscription in honor of
Eleanor of Toledo. The room contains a lavabo and two tapestries by
Van Assel representing
Spring and Autumn.
The Room of Penelope
On the ceiling
Penelope at the loom, in the frieze,
episodes from the Odyssey. On the walls:
Madonna and Child and a
Madonna and Child with St. John by
Botticelli.
Private Chamber of Eleanor
Originally called the '"Room of Gualdrada"' from the subject of the ceiling painting, this room was one of the private rooms of Eleonora of Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de' Medici. The paintings are by the Flemish painter
Jan Stradan, better known under his Italian name Stradone. Against the wall is a cabinet with Florentine mosaic designs.
The adjoining, richly decorated chapel is painted in fresco by the mannerist
Angelo Bronzino, among his masterpieces.
Sala dell'Udienza
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Life of Furius Camillus in the Sala dell'Udienza. |
The Audience Chamber or Hall of Justice used to house the meetings of the six
priori (guild masters of the arts). It contains the oldest decorations of the palace.
The carved coffer ceiling, laminated with pure gold, is by
Giuliano da Maiano (1470-1476).
On the portal of the Chapel is an inscription in honor of Christ (1529). The door, communicating with the Hall of Lilies, is a marvel. The marble mouldings of this portal were sculpted by the brothers Giuliano and
Benedetto da Maiano. Its inlaid woodwork (
intarsia) was carved by
Del Francione. They give us portraits of Dante and
PetrarchThe large frescoes on the walls, of a decorative value representing
Stories of Furius Camillus, by
Francesco Salviati, were made in the middle of the 16th century. Since Salviati had his schooling in the circle around
Rafael in Rome, these frescoes are mirrored on Roman models and therefore not typical of Florentine art. Furius Camillus was a Roman general, mentioned in the writings of
Plutarchus.
Chapel of the Signoria
A small doorway leads into the adjoining small chapel dedicated to
St. Bernard, containing a reliquary of the Saint. Here the priors used to supply divine aid in the execution of their duties. In this chapel, Girolamo Savonarola said his last prayers before he was burned to death on the Piazza della Signoria.
The marvellous frescoes on the walls and ceiling, on a background imitating gold mosaic, are by
Ridolfo Ghirlandaio. Of particular interest are
The Holy Trinity on the ceiling and
The Annunciation on the wall facing the altar. On the altar was a painting representing the
Holy Family by
Mariano Graziadei da Pescia, a pupil of Ridolfo Ghirlandaio. it is now on exhibition in the corridor of the Uffizi Gallery. Instead, there is a good painting of St. Bernard by an unknown artist.
Sala dell Orologio
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Frescoes in the Hall of Lilies. |
The carved ceiling of the Hall of the Lilies, as this room is usually called, decorated with
fleur-de-lys, and the
Statue of St. John the Bapist and Putti are all by Benedetto da Maiano and his brother Giuliano. The goldenfleur-de-lys decorations on blue background on the ceiling and three walls refer to the (short-lived) good relations between Florence and the French Crown.
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Ceiling with fleur-de-lys. |
On the wall are frescoes by
Domenico Ghirlandaio, painted in 1482. The apotheosis of
St. Zenobius, first patron saint of Florence, was painted with a perspectival illusion of the background. In this background one can see the Cathedral, with the original Giotto's facade and his bell tower. In the
lunette above is a
bas-relief of the Madonna and Child. This fresco flanked on both sides by frescoes of famed Romans, on the left
Brutus, Muzio Scevola and Camillus, and on the right
Decius, Scipo and Cicero. Medaillons of Roman emperors fill the
spandrils bewteen the sections.
The door in this wall leads to the
Stanza della Guardaroba (Hall of Geographical Maps). This door is flanked by two dark marble pillars, originally from a Roman temple.
After its lengthy restoration, the (original) statue "
Judith and Holofernes" by
Donatello was given a prominent place in this room in 1988.
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Map of the British Isles by Ignazio Danti. |
Stanza del Guardaroba
The Hall of Geographical Maps or Wardrobe is where the Medici Grand Dukes kept there precious belongings. The cabinets and carved ceiling are by
Dionigi Nigetti.
The doors of the cabinets were decorated with 53 remarkable
maps of scientific interest, oil paintings by the Dominican monk Fra
Ignazio Danti (1563-1575), brother of the sculptor
Vincenzio Danti, and
Stefano Buonsignori (1575-1584). They are of great historical interest and give a good idea of the geographical knowledge in the 16th century. Danti followed the
Ptolemaic system, while already using the new cartographical system of
Gerardus Mercator.
In the center of the room is the large globe
"mappa mundi" ruined by excessive restorations.
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Bust of Niccolò Machiavelli. |
Old Chancellery
This was Macchiavelli's office when he was Secretary of the Republic. His polychrome bust in terracotta and his portrait are by
Santi di Tito. They are probably modelled on his death mask. In the center of the room, on the pedestal is the famous
Winged Boy with a Dolphin by Verrocchio, brought to this room from the First Courtyard.
The reassembled room was used by
Cellini to restore the treasures of the Medici princes. From the little window in the wall , Cosimo I spied on his ministers and officers, during meetings in the Salone dei Cinquecento. It became a museum of
mannerist paintings.
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Palazzo Vecchio - Musei comunali fiorentini - institutional website*
Musei dei Ragazzi di Firenze - Intercative workshop, guided tour, animated tour at Palazzo Vecchio - institutional website*
Florence Art Guide â€" Palazzo Vecchio*
Satellite image from Google Maps*
Palazzo Vecchio, Florence virtual reality movie and pictures
