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Piti Palace. Pitti Palace - the "highlight" of Florence

The word "palazzo" is translated from Italian as "palace", "mansion". Etymology provides another version of the origin: from the Latin "palatium" (palace). It also echoes the name of one of the seven Roman hills - Palatine, where luxurious palaces for emperors were originally built.

Palazzo palaces can be found in any of the cities of Italy - a triumph of luxury and aristocracy. One of these palaces is the Palazzo Pitti in Florence - the residence of the Florentine rulers.

The history of the construction of the palace in Florence

The history of the construction of Palazzo Pitti is very interesting., and in this story there are more fictions and rumors than facts and documentary evidence.

When Duke Cosimo Medici, nicknamed the Old, came to power, he received instructions from his father not to flaunt his greatness and wealth before the people, so as not to irritate the masses. That is why the Medici abandoned the luxurious project of Filippo Brunelleschi in favor of the more modest project of the architect Michelozzo - inside his palace was decorated with all conceivable luxury and wealth, but outwardly all decorum was respected.

But Brunelleschi's project was not in vain.- the richest banker Luca Pitti drew attention to him. His affairs were going well, he was a member of many famous and rich houses of Florence. And then one day the idea came to him to build a palace that would exceed the size and splendor of the palazzo of the Duke of Tuscany himself - Cosimo de Medici (Old).

The architect Filippo Brunelleschi was supposedly the author of the project for the Palazzo Pitti, and Luca Francelli, who at that time was Brunelleschi's student, was his assistant. But architectural historians in last years agree that The author of the project was just Luca Francelli who used the achievements and technologies of his teacher, Filippo Brunelleschi. This version is confirmed by the fact that Brunelleschi was no longer alive by the time construction began on the Pitti Palace.

Construction was started in 1457-1458. Luca Pitti's plans for the construction were very grandiose: he wished that the windows were higher than the windows of the Medici Palace, and the garden was much larger than the entire territory of the Medici-Ricardi Palace.

But the construction did not go as fast as the owner wanted. Despite the fact that even convicts and fugitive criminals were not shy to involve in the construction (in order for the palace to be built as soon as possible), financial difficulties became a significant obstacle to the triumph of the banker Pitti.

The paradox is that Palazzo Pitti still ended up in the ownership of the Medici family. This happened after the death of Luca Pitti himself (1472), who did not live to see the completion of the construction of his palace (1487). The new owner, or rather, the owner, was the wife of Cosimo Medici, Eleanor of Toledo, who in 1549 acquired the palazzo from the bankrupt descendant of the banker Pitti, Bonacossro Pitti.

Before moving with the entire large family to a new palazzo, the Duke of Tuscany ordered to expand the boundaries of the palace through extensions, adding two side wings of the building, due to which the building area almost doubled. The redevelopment of the palazzo was undertaken by the architect Amannati, as well as the master Giorgio Vasari, who, in addition to the project, built a covered passage from the (Old Palace) to the Pitti Palace.

At first, the house served to accommodate foreign ambassadors and eminent guests of the city, and already during the reign of Ferdinand I, the Medici family finally moved to former house banker Pitty.

Behind Pitti Square and the palace, land was purchased on Boboli Hill - there, under the guidance of the garden decorator Niccolo Tribolo, a grandiose work was launched to create a park complex - the Boboli Gardens.

In 1737, the Medici family was interrupted, and power passed to representatives of another family - the Dukes of Lorraine. After them, Palazzo Pitti became a haven for both the Bourbons and the Habsburg dynasty. During the period of the Italian national liberation movement (Risorgimento), Florence for some time became the capital of the state, and King Victor Emmanuel III chose Palazzo Pitti as the royal residence.

In 1919, the Italian authorities declared the palace a municipal property.

Description of the attraction

Palazzo Pitti is a gloomy three-story building, trimmed with rustic stone (one side of the stone has a smooth surface, and the rest is rough and unhewn). The cladding betrays the ambitions of Luca Pitti, who sought to equate himself with those in power. The fact is that at that time only palaces belonging to the duke were trimmed with rustic stone (for the first time, rustication was used in the construction of the duke's palace, known today as).

Palazzo Pitti is 205 meters long and 38 meters high. The building is the largest in all of Florence.

The peculiarity of the architecture of the building lies in a clear division into three floors.. Unlike the palaces of that time and the trends of architectural fashion, Palazzo Pitti has almost no external decorations - only stone lion heads with crowns on the tiers of the lower floor can be noted from the decoration.

Behind the Palazzo Pitti are the Boboli Gardens - the famous park ensemble, recognized as the best not only in Florence itself, but throughout Italy. Its area is about 45 thousand square meters, and it extends all the way to Fort Belvedere. The gardens have been open to the public since 1766.

What is he like today, photo

At present, Palazzo Pitti is not only an outstanding landmark of Florence, but also the largest museum and historical and architectural complex, which has valuable collections of works. Italian art.

The museum complex combines large galleries and themed rooms.

Silver Museum. Here is a collection of silverware - jewelry, household items (cutlery, accessories). In addition to silver jewelry, the museum exhibits collections of items made of gold, ivory, precious and semi-precious stones, as well as a collection of vases, the beginning of which was laid by Lorenzo de' Medici (the Magnificent).
Here you can see the vases of the ancient Roman era., vases from Byzantium and Venice (XIV century). The highlight of the collection of this museum is a miniature copy of Piazza Senoria, trimmed with gold and silver.

Palatine Gallery. In luxurious baroque interiors there are halls dedicated to the heroes of Roman mythology. Lush interiors create a magnificent backdrop for the ancient statues of the gods - Mars, Apollo, Venus, which were painted by master Pietro da Corton.
The Palatine Gallery houses unique works Raphael and Titian(the gallery contains 11 works by Raphael - more than in any museum in the world), Caravaggio and Rubens, as well as paintings by famous representatives Venetian schools s Tintoretto and Giorgione. It is noteworthy that some of the works are located in the places where they were identified by the first owners - members of the Medici family.

costume museum. Luxurious outfits and exquisite ladies' clothes of the 15th-18th centuries are presented in this gallery (there are about 6 thousand costumes and wardrobe items in total). In addition, a number of expositions are devoted to accessories and interior items. The expositions in the museum change only twice a year.

Porcelain Museum. Famous porcelain tableware belonging to the Medici dynasty (Sevres porcelain, Meissen, antique ceramic collections), as well as porcelain figurines.

Gallery of contemporary art. This gallery contains works by representatives of modern Italian schools of painting.

Going to Florence - the birthplace of the Renaissance and the greatest masters of this era: Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Dante - you must definitely 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 each new turn of the ancient streets, more and more new wonders will open, for example, the Pitti Palace. 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 storehouse of museum expositions that will be of interest to every curious tourist.

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Construction history

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 bunch 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 in power and wealth, was both a friend of the latter and a rival at the same time. It is known that Pitti even arranged a conspiracy 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 was forced to listen: it was under the influence of Pitti in the middle of the 15th century that a democratic system of power was temporarily restored in Florence, and elections again began to be organized by lot, and not by the right of kinship and inheritance. At the same time, in the last years of his life, the Medici bestowed generous gifts on Pitti.

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 majesty. With the size - it definitely turned out: the Pitti Palace, 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 accused and is still accused of dullness and bulkiness, and that the Medicis still failed to “overtake”. The taste and color, as they say ...

Legends say that Pitti ordered the windows of his new palazzo to be larger than the gates in the Medici palaces, and also that all six years while construction was underway, fugitive criminals took refuge here: Pitti and his people covered scammers, thieves and even murderers in exchange for that they will work at a construction site, and the construction itself, allegedly, was carried out day and night, without breaks and days off. Whether all this is true or not is impossible to say now.

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, came to power, and he also zealously condemned wealth and luxury, and the former banker began to have serious financial problems. He could not cope with them, and in 1472, having noticeably lost his fortune, he died, leaving the unfinished palace to his descendants.

But the descendants of Luca could not keep the building in the family heritage either: in 1549, the finally ruined Bonaccosro Pitti - it is not known for certain who he was Luca: son, grandson or other relative - was forced to sell the palazzo. Eleanor of Toledo, the wife of Cosimo de Medici, became its new owner, and it was under their patronage that the building was completed and expanded.

Who was the architect of the original version of the palazzo is unknown. There are suggestions that these were Brunelleschi and his apprentice Francelli, but modern historians agree only with the second name: Brunelleschi himself died a few years before the laying of the first stone of the future palace. In the time of Cosimo and Eleanor, construction was carried out under the guidance 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, allowing you 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 places 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 combined 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 eyes. But Luca Pitti achieved this: the same facade cladding with rustication - roughly hewn stone - hints that the palace, in his understanding, should have made a formidable and harsh impression.

The building has three floors, and each upper floor is smaller than the previous one, so the palace seems to go up, like an Egyptian pyramid. Also, this clear division is noticeable thanks to the semicircular arches and pilasters, which were already made during the time of Eleanor of Toledo. However, it is believed that Vasari and Ammanati followed the original plan and plans made during the life of Pitti.

Gallery Palatina

The Palatine Gallery - or the Palatine Gallery - in itself, even without the masterpieces of painting exhibited there, is very beautiful and original. Some rooms, painted by the Italian Pietro da Cortona, represent a general mythological pattern and are even named after the ancient Roman and Greek gods: Venus, the goddess of beauty and fertility, Apollo, the god of light and patron of the arts, Mars, the god of war and agriculture, Jupiter - the supreme god, - and Saturn - the god of agriculture and time.

As for the paintings of the gallery, the Medicis began to collect them, then the work was continued by the Lorraine. 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 like this famous masters like Titian, Rubens, Van Dyck and Caravaggio.

Gallery of contemporary art

In addition to the masterpieces of the Renaissance, Palazzo Pitti is famous for its modern art gallery, which exhibits paintings by artists of the 19th century. Most of them wrote in the macchiaioli technique (another Florentine word!) - special style, characterized by a free manner and pronounced "spots". It is quite possible that Impressionism grew out of Macchiaioli.

Treasures of the Grand Dukes

The second name is the Silver Museum. The museum is quite impressive: almost thirty rooms, and one more luxurious and richer than the other. This collection is also assembled by the Medici family: here are masterfully cast, carved, elegant silverware, and jewelry of the legendary dynasty, and coral and pearl souvenirs, and miniature figurines carved from cherry stones and ivory, and Byzantine vases, and amphorae from oriental countries, and masterpieces of Venetian jewelry, and precious and semi-precious stones, and amazing transparent amber ... Similar luxurious and rich collections can only be found in the halls of the Louvre and the Hermitage.

Fashion and Costume Museum

This collection is relatively young - the museum opened only in 1983. Nevertheless, today it already has more than 6 thousand exhibits, and every self-respecting publication has long included it in the lists. best museums fashion and costume in the world.

Of course, most of the collection's costumes are Italian: masterpieces by Mariano Fortuny, Maria Galenga, Elsa Schiaparelli. All these women are well-known designers and fashion designers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was their efforts that modern Italian fashion developed. There are also costumes of the aristocratic society of the 18-20th centuries, and theatrical costumes, and some jewelry, and clothes of famous Italian actresses, for example, Eleonora Duse. Here are the famous works from the collections of the magnificent Coco Chanel.

In addition, the Fashion Museum also has vehicles: carriages, wagons, the first cars. One can see whole compositions when next to the female and male mannequins in costumes of certain years there is a vehicle of the same time.

Since the fabric is very quickly destroyed in the light, all the exhibits are under glass, and the room itself is twilight and cool. In addition, so that the costumes do not stay on the mannequins for too long, the entire exhibition is completely changed every two years. Temporary exhibitions change even more frequently. You can take pictures here, but only without a flash. In addition, when going to the Museum of Fashion and Costume, be sure to dress warmly.

Royal and Imperial Apartments

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 impresses 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, Italia. You can get there by buses number 11 and 36. Stop San Felice.

Working hours: 8:00 - 19:00 (daily except Monday)

The 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 added to the list of such “nominal” palaces. Today, its building on Pitti Square is just a city museum, and 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. History pages

The history of the creation of the Palazzo Pitti in Florence (especially its early stage) is a mixture historical facts, stories of contemporaries and conjectures of historians. It is indisputable that Florence at the beginning of the 15th century was under the rule of the Medici family. One of the devoted friends and assistants of Cosimo de' Medici was at that time a very wealthy banker Luca Pitti. For the assistance rendered to the government, he did not hesitate to regularly accept generous gifts, and was even knighted. As it turned out, the friendship between 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, having achieved the election of a new government.

But a simple overthrow former friend and patron Luca Pitti was not enough. In the same year, the banker began the construction of his own palace, which, by design, would have surpassed any of the houses of the former ruling family. Some historical documents show that the architect was commissioned a palace so majestic that the Medici palace could fit in its courtyard, and its windows would exceed the entrance of the former friend's house.

In the 16th century, Vasari claimed that the creation of such a grand structure was entrusted to Filippo Brunelleschi. But latest research prove that the architect of the Palazzo Pitti was his student Luca Francelli. The version of historians 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 in one way 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 tranquility and grandeur.

The death of Cosimo de Medici and the disruption of trade relations led to the ruin of many once wealthy families. The Pitties themselves were no exception. In 1464, they had to stop the construction of the palace, and after another 6 years, the owner of the house himself died, never seeing him ready. Nevertheless, Pitti retained some influence, as they continued to live in the family palace. But it didn't last long. Already in 1537, Cosimo I returned power in Florence to the Medici, and in 1549 he bought the Palazzo from the completely impoverished descendants of Luca Pitti and presented it to his wife Eleanor 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 the expansion of the rear side, the building was almost doubled in size. In the end, the length of the building reached 205 meters, and the height - 38 meters, and its interior space was divided into parts by arches with pilasters. In order to combine the Palazzo Pitti with the Palazzo Vecchio, in which 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 current tourists as.

Until 1737, the Pitti Palace remained the official residence of the Medici, until the last direct descendant in the male line, Gian Gastone, died. For some time the sister of the last Medici lived in the house. With her death, the family 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 in Palazzo Pitti was replaced by the Savoy dynasty. During the liberation movement of the Risorgimento, 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.

After the successful nationalization of the Palazzo Pitti in Florence and the surrounding gardens, they were divided into a museum and five art galleries. About 140 rooms and exhibition halls are open to visitors, the interior design of which took place in the 17th and 18th centuries. During the reconstruction in 2005, several previously hidden rooms were found - bathrooms of the 18th century. Surprisingly, the plumbing arrangement in them differs little from the modern one.

About the architectural features of Palazzo Pitti in Florence

Florence Palazzo Pitti is not only one of the largest palaces in the country. It can rightfully be classified as one of the most impressive. Of course, the exterior decoration of a building typical of Renaissance architecture is somewhat unexpected for those times. Equal in depth and height, a three-story cube is covered on the outside with a rough rusticated stone, usually used for cladding public buildings, but not residential buildings. Three large entrance doors lead to the palace, each of which is over 10 meters high. Seven windows are located on the second and third floors, the windows of the facade are connected by a long balcony, and right under the roof there is a loggia.

True, the very 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 inner walls of the palace, and rough columns similar to tree trunks emphasize the closeness of wildlife and art.

The last architectural changes were made in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The architects Poccianti and Paoletti added a semicircular wing on both sides of the palace, as a result of which the palazzo square was surrounded by walls on three sides. In honor of the nearby statue of Bacchus, the left wing was named the Bacchus Rondo, while the right wing was called the Carriage Rondo.

The interior of the Palazzo Pitti from the 18th century to the present day

Unfortunately, interior decoration no rooms from the Pitti and Medici times have been preserved, and most of the halls gravitate towards the neoclassical style. For example, the white room with frescoes by the Albertoli brothers was “brought to neoclassicism” by the architects Castagnoli and Terreni, and Giuseppe Chachialli created the famous Napoleon’s bath and the vestibule of Maria Bourbon, which are mute witnesses of the French pages in the history of the palace.

Today, the interior of the Palazzo Pitti strikes with luxury: white and gold stucco, silk wallpaper and valuable tapestries, frescoes and furniture from the time of Napoleon ...

Palatine Gallery

The beginning of the collection of the Palazzo Pitti gallery was laid by the Medici, who brought sculptures, paintings, silverware and jewelry from the Palazzo Vecchio. The dukes of Lorraine continued their work. At the same time, luxurious baroque rooms have become an excellent backdrop for works of art, and paintings by masters have become 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 notorious Pietro da Cortona, were worthy of special attention.

By and large, the resulting unique collection of paintings was originally brought to the palace only as decorations. Even today, the paintings are located on the walls of Plazzo Pittti as they were hung by the owners. And they are not at all grouped by halls or artists, as it should be in a museum. Despite this, no world museum can boast such a collection of works by Raphael. There are eleven of his paintings here. And also Caravaggio, Titian, Rubens, Van Dyck, Tintoretto, Pontormo, Murillo and many other representatives of the Florentine and Venetian schools of painting.

Gallery of contemporary art

Here visitors can get acquainted with the works of masters of the brush late period- XIX - XX centuries. The works of representatives of the Florentine Macchiaioli group deserve special attention. This 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

A unique collection of art objects not only of Italian masters is amazing in the Silver Museum. Of course, its main highlight is the collection of vases by Lorenzo the Magnificent. There are also vases of the Sassanid Empire, and ancient Roman amphoras, and Byzantine creations, and even the work of the Venetians of the XIV century. But not only the silver museum of the Palazzo Pitti is famous for its vases. Precious stones, items made of ivory, silver and gold are "scattered" in different halls and create an atmosphere of fabulous wealth. What is one Piazza Signori worth in miniature, laid out precious stones and gold!

In addition, in the carriage museum you can see the first cars and wagons 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 lady.

As you can see, Palazzo Pitti in Florence is worthy of the attention of tourists. It receives visitors daily, except Monday, from 8.00 to 19.00. True, entry inside usually stops at 17.30. This is not surprising. It will take more than one hour to see the Palatine Gallery alone with its 500 canvases.

The first works on the construction of the palace date back to the 15th century. Then, in 1458, he still had nothing to do with the ruling Medici dynasty. The initiator of the construction was Luca Pitti, a banker, whose name, thanks to this building, has forever remained in the annals. He was a friend and colleague of Cosimo de' Medici, but he built the palazzo exclusively for himself. It is believed that by building this palace, Pitti even sought to surpass the main residence of the ruling dynasty. He attracted the best architects and even specifically ordered the craftsmen to make the windows of the palazzo such that they were larger than the main entrance to the Medici residence. There are disputes about who was the main architect of the palace. This work is attributed to Luca Francelli. However, there is an opinion that it was not Luca who designed the entire structure, but his teacher Filippo Brunelleschi.

The grandiose construction had to be suspended in 1464 when Cosimo de' Medici died. Left without his friend and patron, the banker Pitti began to experience financial difficulties. As a result, he never saw the completed palace, having died in 1472. In the middle of the 16th century, the descendants of the banker were on the verge of ruin and were forced to sell the building. The buyer was Eleanor of Toledo - the wife of the then ruling Cosimo I de Medici. When the Palazzo Pitti became her property, it was decided to expand it, which eventually doubled its area. Initially, special guests were accommodated here, while the Medici continued to live in on the other side of the river. And only by the end of the 16th century, the ruling dynasty began to use the Palazzo Pitti for personal purposes - to house a collection of works of art, which the members of the family acquired with great pleasure. The Medici lived here until the middle of the 18th century, until the death of Anna Maria - the only direct heiress. After Palazzo Pitti became the property of another dynasty. The next Grand Duke of Tuscany from the House of Lorraine, Franz I Stefan, settled here. During the Napoleonic wars, the palazzo was occupied for a period by the French emperor. Later, in 1860, the palazzo, like the whole of Tuscany, was under the leadership of the dynasty of Savoy rulers.

The Palazzo Pitti approached the modern format of the museum in 1919, when the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III, transferred the building to state ownership and divided it into several separate art museums. From that moment on, the Palazzo Pitti began to store not only works of past centuries, but also artistic values acquired by Italy in later years.

Architecture of Palazzo Pitti

The building is most often called a prime example quattrocento - a period of Italian art of the 15th century in the era Early Renaissance. Representing a traditional palazzo in form, the outside of the Pitti Palace was clearly different from the architectural trends familiar to the 15th century. One of the main features was the rusticated main facade of the building - it was densely lined with regular quadrangular stones with an unhewn front side. It is assumed that this technique was copied from the Palazzo Vecchio, the residence of the Medici, during the construction of which such decoration was used for the first time in Florence.

The completion of the Palazzo Pitti, initiated by the new owners of the building - the Medici, was carried out by Bartolomeo Ammanati. As a result, the length of the facade of the building became 205 meters, and the height of the three floors of the palace was marked at around 38 meters. The building has become one of the best examples Italian Renaissance and continues to be so to this day.

During the work of Ammanati, some elements of the Palazzo Pitti were transformed: for example, the side entrance doors were replaced by high windows reaching to the floor. But the main merit of this master was the construction of the courtyard of the Palazzo Pitti.

To organize the space of this part of the palace, he used such architectural elements as semicircular arches, pilasters, columns. In the decoration of the walls, which are the boundary of the patio, various materials alternate.

At the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, Palazzo Pitti was expanded again. Two semicircular parts were added, which still frame the square in front of the palace. One of them was called the Bacchus Rondo, and the second - the Carriage Rondo.

How to get there

Palazzo Pitti can be found at Piazza de' Pitti, 1 (Pitti Square). From here you can also see the vast gardens of Boboli Hill, which occupy large area behind the palace. The area is located in the very center, so you can get here without difficulty.

Exact address: Piazza de' Pitti, 1 (Pitti Square).

Option 1

Bus: routes number C3 and D to the Pitti stop, which is located right in front of the front facade of Palazzo Pitti.

Option 1

Bus: route number 11 to the Piazza San Felice stop.

On foot: the way from the stop to the palace will take no more than 3-4 minutes.

Palazzo Pitti on the map

Gallery Palatine (Galerie Palatine)

The halls of this gallery are located on the second floor of the building and occupy almost the entire left wing of the Palazzo Pitti. Its interiors are made in the Baroque style and are distinguished by the luxury of decor. Here are collected paintings by great artists of different years, once acquired by representatives of the Medici dynasty. Later, the collection was supplemented by the following rulers of Tuscany - the Dukes of Lorraine. By placing exhibits here, representatives of the ruling dynasties relied on their own taste and did not seek to classify the works in any way. Then the main task of these paintings was to decorate the interior of the Palazzo Pitti. Today they are given much greater value. But, despite this, it was decided to leave many paintings in their places - where they were once hung by the Medici.

Residents of Florence first gained access to these halls of Palazzo Pitti in 1828. Then the best works were able to see not only the rulers and noble citizens, but also ordinary Italians. Raphael's canvases are a special pride of the Palatine Gallery. This is the only place where they are collected in such quantity: as many as 11 of his canvases are stored here. No less significant are the works belonging to the brushes of other creators. So, in this gallery you can admire the paintings of Titian, Rubens, Caravaggio, Van Dyck. Paintings are kept here. Italian artists: for example, Giorgione, Tintoretto, as well as representatives of the mannerism of Pontormo, Bronzino and many others.

Gallery of contemporary art

Its rooms are also located on the second floor of Palazzo Pitti. Their no less luxuriously decorated walls contain works by Italian artists created by them from the end of the 18th century to the 30s of the 20th century. The paintings and sculptures exhibited here are the best examples of Neoclassical, Romantic and later Symbolist and Post-Impressionist styles. Landscapes and historical portraits blend seamlessly into the rich décor of this Palazzo Pitti gallery.

One of the most significant and striking in this part are the works of Florentine artists who considered themselves to be a group called Macchiaioli. This collection of artists worked in a special technique, according to which the image was obtained by combining color spots. Here you can see pictures of the head of this creative association- Giovanni Fattori. Especially famous in the world of art were his landscapes. In addition to his paintings, in this gallery you can see paintings by such artists as Signorini, Pissarro, Boldini, Hayes, Magelli, Lega and some others.

Silver Museum (Museo degli Argenti)

Its museum rooms occupy the ground floor and mezzanine of Palazzo Pitti, which once served as a Medici summer house. The walls of these rooms are covered with frescoes, some of which were created in the 17th century on the occasion of the marriage of Ferdinand II de' Medici and Victoria della Rovere.

This museum is distinguished by a variety of exhibits and illustrates the wealth of the ducal court. Here you can see exclusive vases, plates and other cutlery, decorative elements, jewelry, furniture. All these exhibits are made of silver and gold, ivory, semi-precious stones and amber. They belong to different periods, epochs and even states: here you can find amphorae ancient rome, Persian vases, a collection of porcelain products from and, which was born thanks to the Medici family back in the 15th century, and not only. In addition, in this part of the Palazzo Pitti there is a collection of European majolica, vases of mannerist forms of the late 16th century, various elements of oriental interiors.

The object of pride in the museum is the collection of unique vases owned by Lorenzo the Magnificent. It also contains jewelry that once belonged to Anna Maria Luisa - the last of the Medici family. An interesting collection called the "Salzburg Treasure". At the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, it was brought to Palazzo Pitti from Lorraine by the Duke of Tuscany Ferdinand III and consisted mainly of silver exhibits.

Today, the Palazzo Pitti Silver Museum continues to grow gradually. This happens mainly due to donations from the descendants of the noble families of Florence, as well as thanks to items from various private collections. Particularly interesting and valuable exhibits come from the dynasties of Florentine jewelers. For such jewelry, which was donated or donated to the Silver Museum, a special part of the exposition is allocated.

Museum of carriages (Museo delle carrozze) and costume

This part of the museum is located in the Palazzone della Meridiana - an extension to the southern wing of the Palazzo Pitti. Its construction began in recent decades 18th century and completed by 1830.

In the part devoted to carriages, you can at arm's length consider the means of transportation of Italian monarchs and noble citizens of the 18-19th centuries. One of the oldest is the carriage of the 18th century. Historians failed to establish its owner. The carriage is richly decorated in the Rococo style and is of good quality. In these halls of the Palazzo Pitti, you can see the vehicles of Italian rulers from different times. So, here are stored the carriages of the Neapolitan monarch Ferdinand II of Bourbon and a carriage created specifically for three pairs of horses for Ferdinand III.

The museum allows you to see decorative elements made of precious metals and precious and semi-precious stones, carved and stucco decorations of carriages. In addition, on the walls of the gallery halls there is a collection of old whips used by coachmen.

The part dedicated to the costumes is also a special spectacle. Founded in Palazzo Pitti in 1983, it became the first in Italy state museum dedicated to the history of fashion and its social value. The exhibits displayed within the walls of this gallery show the development of fashion since the 16th century. The collection consists of the main elements of clothing, accessories, shoes, underwear, jewelry and bijouterie. There are about 6,000 exhibits in total. Here you can see everyday and formal dresses made of different materials, openwork sun umbrellas, hats and other headwear. Of particular value are the restored funeral costumes that belonged to Cosimo I de' Medici, his wife Eleanor of Toledo and their son, who died at the age of 15.

Over the years, the exposition has expanded and began to include not only the costumes of the ruling dynasties. It includes theater and film costumes, wardrobe items of famous personalities and works by the best Italian and foreign fashion designers. So, for example, in these halls of the Palazzo Pitti you can see the costumes of Coco Chanel, examples of jewelry used by actresses in the theaters of Italy, wedding dresses of brides of the 20th century, dresses made by Versace and Gucci for Italian pop stars, and very modern items of clothing - for example , sneakers. Many dresses, both created several centuries ago and sewn recently, are richly decorated with beads, unique embroidery, lace and other similar elements.

Over the years of its existence, the museum's collection has become so large that it is not possible to simultaneously demonstrate to visitors all the exhibits at the disposal of this gallery of Palazzo Pitti. Therefore, it was decided to completely change all the exhibits every two years.

Opening hours and ticket prices

You can get to the Palazzo Pitti on all days of the week, except Monday, during the opening hours of the museum: from 08:15 to 18:50. It takes a lot of time to look around, so last tickets Sell only until 18:05. The entrance fee is 13 euros ( ~923 rub. ). A reduced rate is provided, the price of which is half cheaper - 6.5 euros ( ~462 rub. ), but only EU citizens from 18 to 25 years old can apply for it. All visitors under the age of 18 can enter for free.

Also, a free pass is available to everyone on the first Sunday of every month.

To avoid long wait at the ticket office and the entrance to the Palazzo Pitti, especially during the tourist season, the museum management advises making a preliminary ticket reservation on or by phone (+39 055 294883). For schoolchildren, this procedure is free, and adults will have to pay an additional 3 euros for it ( ~213 rub. ) to the ticket price.

Palazzo Pitti - object with rich history and architecture and no less rich museum expositions. Each gallery that exists within its walls is unique and unrepeatable. Collections, many of which began to be collected by representatives of the Medici family and continued by their successors, today are carefully preserved and replenished by historians, museum workers and ordinary residents of Florence.

This palace provides visitors with the opportunity to see the life of art in Florence and all of Italy from its different sides, to trace its development, features, from the 15th century to the present day, to personally see the best works that once shocked the whole world with their genius. The palace also opens the doors to the daily and public life of several generations of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany, introduces them to their tastes, interests, habits and traditions, tells more about them than any textbook could tell.

Palazzo Pitti - great way plunge headlong into the culture of this state, try to understand its features and details and look at everything around through the eyes of its best artists and great rulers.

Business card

Address

Piazza de' Pitti, 1, Florence, Italy

Official website of Palazzo Pitti

Price

Standard - 13 euros ( ~923 rub. );
Preferential (EU citizens from 18 to 25 years old) - 6.5 euros ( ~462 rub. );
Visitors under 18 - free of charge;
First Sunday of every month - free

Working hours

Tuesday-Sunday - from 08:15 to 18:50 (ticket office closes at 18:05)

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Published: June 17, 2016

Gallery Palatina ( Palazzo Pitti)

Gallery Palatina - main gallery Palazzo Pitti, contains a large ensemble of over 500 paintings, mostly from the Renaissance, that were once part of the art collection of the Medici and their heirs. The gallery, which flows into the royal apartments, houses works by Raphael, Titian, Perugino (Lamentation of Christ), Correggio, Peter Paul Rubens and Pietro da Cortona. A feature of the gallery is still a private collection and works of art, hung in the same way as they should have been in large halls, for which they were intended, and not in chronological order, or according to the school of art.

Cornice in the Hall of Jupiter, showing the frescoes and stucco on the lunette by Pietro da Cortona.

The best rooms are decorated by Pietro da Cortona in high baroque style. Cortona was originally frescoed in a small room on the main floor called Sala della Stufa and a series depicting the "Four Ages of Man", which was very well received; "Golden Age" and " silver Age were written in 1637, followed in 1641 by The Bronze Age and The Iron Age. They are valued among his works. The artist was subsequently asked to create a fresco in the drawing room of the Grand Duke; a suite of five rooms in front of the palazzo. In these five Planetary Rooms, the hierarchical succession of deities is based on the Ptolemaic system; Venus, Apollo, Mars, Jupiter (Medici Throne Room) and Saturn, but not Mercury and the Moon, as they must go before Venus. The extremely rich frescoed ceilings and intricate stucco work actually praise the Medici family and the gift of virtuous government.

Cortona, left Florence in 1647, and his student and worker, Ciro Ferri, completed the cycle in the 1660s. Later, they became a source of inspiration for Lebrun, who painted the rooms of Louis XIV at Versailles.

The collection was first opened to the public at the end of the 18th century, albeit rather reluctantly, by the Grand Duke Leopold, the first enlightened ruler of Tuscany, who sought to gain popularity after the decline of the Medici dynasty.

Rooms of the Palatine Gallery

The Palatina Gallery has 28 rooms, among them:

Castagnoli's room: named after the painter of the ceiling frescoes. This room displays portraits of the Medici and the ruling families of Lorraine, as well as the table of the Muses, a masterpiece of stone inlay work by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure (Gem Workshop) from 1837-1851.

Artemisia Gentileschi "Judith and her maid with the head of Holofernes" 1613-1618

Ark Room: contains a painting by Giovanni Battista Caracciolo (17th century). In 1816, the ceiling was decorated with a fresco by Luigi Ademollo Noah Entering Jerusalem on the Ark.
Psyche Room was named after a ceiling fresco by Giuseppe Colignon; it exhibits paintings by Salvator Rosa from 1640-1650.
Poccetti Hall. The frescoes on the vault were once attributed to Bernardino Poccetti, but now Matteo Rosselli. In the center of the hall stands a table (1716) commissioned by Cosimo III. It also houses some works by Rubens and Pontormo.
Prometheus room: named after the subject of frescoes by Giuseppe Colignon (XIX century) and contains a large collection of paintings that have a round shape: among them - "Madonna and Child" by Filippino Lippi (XV century), two portraits by Botticelli and paintings by Pontormo and Domenico Beccafumi.
Room of Justice: the ceiling is frescoed by Antonio Fedi (1771-1843), and portraits (16th century) of Titian, Tintoretto and Paolo Veronese are on display.
Odysseus room: frescoed by Gaspare Martellini in 1815, it contains early work Filippino Lippi and Raphael .
Iliad room: contains the Panchatiki Madonna and Passerini Madonna (c-1522-1523 and 1526 respectively) by Andrea del Sarto, and paintings by Artemisia Gentileschi (17th century).
Saturn room: contains Raphael's "Portrait of Agnolo Doni" (1506), "Madonna in the Chair" (1516), and "Portrait of Cardinal Ingirami" (1516); the Annunciation (1528) by Andrea del Sarto and Jesus and the Evangelists (1516) by Fra Bartolomeo are also exhibited here.
Jupiter room: contains The Veiled Lady, a famous portrait by Raphael (1516), which, according to Vasari, represents the woman the artist loved. Among other works in the room, paintings by Rubens, Andrea del Sarto and Perugino.
Mars room is distinguished by the works of Rubens: the allegories represent "The Consequences of the War" (hence the name of the room) and "Four Philosophers" (among them Rubens depicted himself, on the left side). On the vault is a fresco by Pietro da Cortona "The Triumph of the Medici".
Apollo room: contains a painting "Madonna with Saints" (1522) by Rosso Fiorentino, from the church of Santo Spirito, and two paintings by Titian "Mary Magdalene" and "Portrait of an English nobleman" (between 1530 and 1540).
Venus Room: contains the sculpture "Venus Italica" (1810) by Antonio Canova, commissioned by Napoleon. Landscapes (1640-50) by Salvator Rosa and four paintings by Titian 1510-1545. Among the paintings of Titian: "Portrait of Pope Julius II" (1545) and "Beauty" (1535).
White Hall: at one time the ballroom of the palace, is distinguished by its white decoration and is often used for temporary exhibitions.

IN royal chambers includes 14 rooms. Their decoration was changed by the Savoys to the Empire style, but some rooms still retain the decoration and furniture of the Medici period.

green room was painted by Giuseppe Castagnoli at the beginning of the 19th century. It exhibits a chest of drawers with intarsia of the 17th century and a collection of gilded bronzes; Throne room was decorated for King Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy and is distinguished by red brocade on the walls and Japanese and Chinese vases (XVII-XVIII century).

IN blue room contains a collection of furniture (XVII-XVIII century) and portraits of members of the Medici family, painted by Justus Sustermans (1597-1681).

Main works:

Raphael Madonna Granduk, 84 x 55 cm

Raphael "Madonna under the canopy", 276 x 224 cm

Raphael "Portrait of Agnolo Doni, 63 x 45 cm

Raphael "Lady with a Veil", 82 x 60 cm

Raphael "Portrait of Tommaso Ingirami", 90 x 62 cm

Raphael Madonna with a Veil, 158 x 125 cm

Raphael "Portrait of a pregnant woman", 66 x 52 cm

Titian "Christ the Redeemer", 78 x 55 cm

Titian "Interrupted concert", 87 x 124 cm

Titian Isabella d'Este 100 x 75 cm

Titian "Portrait of Vincenzo Monti", 85 x 67 cm

Titian "Portrait of Pope Julius II" 99 x 82 cm,

Peter Paul Rubens "The Four Philosophers", 167 x 143 cm

Peter Paul Rubens "The Consequences of the War", 206 x 342 cm

Peter Paul Rubens "The Holy Family", 114 x 80 cm

Anthony van Dyck Cardinal Guido Bentivoglio, 195 x 147 cm

Filippo Lippi "Madonna Bartolini", diameter 135 cm

Caravaggio "Portrait of Fra Antonio Martelli", 118 x 95 cm

Andrea Verrocchio "Jerome of Stridon", 72 x 105 cm

Sleeping Cupid Caravaggio, 41 x 27 cm

Paolo Veronese "Gentleman in lynx fur", 140 x 107 cm

Other galleries

Royal chambers

The chambers consist of 14 rooms, which were previously used by the Medici family and lived by her heirs. The main changes in them were made after the Medici era, most recently in the 19th century. The chambers contain a collection of Medici portraits, many of them by the painter Justus Sustermans. Unlike the large exhibition halls containing the Palatine Collection, some of these rooms are much smaller and more intimate, although still large and gilded, more suited to the demands of everyday life. Antique furniture includes four-poster beds and other essential furniture not found anywhere else in the palazzo. Last time the kings of Italy used Palazzo Pitti in the 1920s. By this time it had already been converted into a museum, but a suite of rooms (currently the Gallery of Modern Art) was kept for them for official visits to Florence.

Gallery of Modern Art ( Gallery of Modern Art at Palazzo Pitti)

This gallery arose from the modernization of the Florentine Academy in 1748, when the Gallery of Modern Art was founded. It was designed to store works of art that won awards at academy competitions. During this time, the Palazzo Pitti was renovated on a grand scale, and new works of art were collected to decorate the newly decorated exhibition halls. IN mid-nineteenth century, there were so many paintings of modern art by the Grand Duke that most were transferred to the Palazzo della Crocetta, which became the first home of the newly formed Museum of Modern Art.

After the Risorgimento and the expulsion of the Grand Duke's family from the Palazzo, all of the Grand Duke's contemporary art works were brought together under one roof in the "Modern Gallery of the Academy". The collection continued to expand, especially under the patronage of Victor Emmanuel II. However, this was after 1922, when the gallery was moved to Palazzo Pitti, where it was supplemented contemporary works art owned by both the state and the municipality of Florence. The collection was housed in the recently vacated chambers of members of the Italian royal family. The gallery was first opened to the general public in 1928.

To date, this big collection expanded and spread over 30 rooms, it includes works by painters Macchiaioli and other contemporary Italian schools late XIX and the beginning of the 20th century. It is worth noting the paintings of Macchiaioli artists, this school of Tuscan artists of the 19th century, led by Fattori was the pioneers and founders of impressionism. The name "Gallery of Modern Art" may seem a misnomer to some, as the art in the gallery covers the period from the 18th century to the early 20th century. No examples of late art are included in the collection, as in Italy, "modern art" refers to the period before World War II; the period that followed is generally known as "arte contemporanea". In Tuscany, this art can be found at the Luigi Pecci Contemporary Art Center in Prato, a city about 15 km from Florence.

Silver Museum

The Museum of Silver, sometimes called the "Treasury of the Medici", contains a collection of priceless silver, cameos, and works with semi-precious gemstones, many of the latest in the collection of Lorenzo de' Medici, include antique vases, most with fine silver gilt mounts added to show the grandeur of the 15th century . These rooms, formerly part of the private royal chambers, are decorated with frescoes of the 17th century, most incredible person Giovanni da San Giovanni in 1635-1636. The Silver Museum also houses a fine collection of German gold and silver artifacts acquired by Grand Duke Ferdinand after his return from exile in 1815, after the French occupation.

Porcelain Museum

First opened in 1973, the museum is located in Casino del Cavaliere in the Boboli Gardens. Porcelain from many of the most famous European factories is located here, Sevres and Meissen near Dresden are well represented. Many of the items in the collection were gifts from European monarchs from Florentine rulers, while others were specially commissioned by the Grand Duke's court. Of particular note are several large tableware from the Vincennes factory, which was later renamed Sèvres, and a collection of small biscuit figurines.

costume gallery

The gallery, located in the wing known as the Palazzina della Meridiana, contains a collection of theatrical costumes which date from the 16th century to the present. It is also the only museum in Italy that presents in detail the history of Italian fashion. One of the newer palazzo collections was founded in 1983 by Kirsten Ashengrin Piacenti; a suite of fourteen rooms, the Meridian chambers, were completed in 1858.

In addition to theatrical costumes, the gallery shows clothes worn from the 18th century to the present day. Some exhibits are unique to Palazzo Pitti; these include the 16th-century funeral clothes of Grand Duke Cosimo I de Medici, as well as Eleanor of Toledo and her son Garzia, both of whom died of malaria. Prior to being dressed in appropriate burial attire, their bodies were presented for public farewell in their best clothes.

The gallery also exhibits a collection of bijouterie from the middle of the 20th century. Initially, the Sala Meridiana had a functional meridian instrument incorporated into the fresco decoration by Antonio Domenico Gabbiani.

Carriage Museum

The museum on the ground floor exhibits carriages and other vehicles that were used at the court of the Grand Duke at the end of the 18th and 19th centuries. In the 19th century, the size of the exhibition prompted one visitor to ask, "In the name of all that is considered unusual, how can one find a place for all these carriages and horses." Some carriages are so lavishly decorated that they have not only gilding on the skin, but also painted landscapes. The carriages used on the most important occasions, like the Carrozza d "Oro (golden carriage), were crowned with gilded crowns that would indicate the social status and rank of the owner of the carriage. Other carriages on display were used by the King of the Two Sicilies, archbishops and other Florentine officials.

Palazzo today

Today, the Palazzo, converted from a royal palace into a museum, is in the hands of the Italian state, namely Polo Museale Fiorentino, an institution that manages twenty museums, including the Uffizi Gallery, and is solely responsible for the 250,000 cataloged works of art. Despite the transformation from a royal residence to a state-owned public building, the palazzo, sitting on its elevated seat, leaving Florence out of the picture, still retains air and atmosphere. private collection big house. To a large extent, this is possible thanks to Amici di Palazzo Pitti ("Friends of Palazzo Pitti"), an organization of volunteers and patrons founded in 1996, which raises funds and makes suggestions for the ongoing maintenance of the Palazzo and collections, as well as the continuous improvement of their visual presentation.