In the description of Palazzo Pitti, in my guide to Florence, you will find the indication that the Royal Apartments were closed at the time of writing the book. We can finally partially deny this statement: in November the apartment of the Duchess of Aosta, on the second floor of Palazzo Pitti, will reopen.
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BRIEF HISTORY OF PALAZZO PITTI
The original building dates back to 1458 and was the residence of the Pitti family, a family of bankers antagonists of the Medici. In 1549, after the death of Luca Pitti, the palace was purchased by the Medici family who moved their residence there from Palazzo Vecchio, while maintaining the name of Palazzo Pitti. It was Eleonora di Toledo, Duchess of Florence and first wife of Cosimo I de’ Medici who insisted that the Medici acquire Palazzo Pitti.
Turns out that Eleonora, daughter of the viceroy of Naples, was used to the wide horizons on the sea and the nature of the Neapolitan city, where she grew up. Cosimo I had recently moved the residence of the Medici family from Palazzo Medici Riccardi to Palazzo Vecchio and Eleonora did not like the narrow and dark spaces of their new medieval residence.
The dukes entrusted Bartolomeo Ammannati with the task of expanding the residence and transforming it into a residence that would reconcile the official nature of the ducal palace and the comforts of the hillside villa in a building that could express the greatness and power of the Medici family.
The apartments on the second floor of Palazzo Pitti, thanks to the pleasantness of the view of the Boboli Gardens, were immediately intended to privately host illustrious personalities of the family. The first person to live in these rooms was Cosimo I’s niece, Maria de’ Medici, future queen of France. Subsequently, Palazzo Pitti became the main residence of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany, and hosted Ferdinand II and Vittoria della Rovere.
From 1737 the Grand Duchy of Tuscany passed to the Habsburg-Lorraine family, who moved to Palazzo Pitti and had major architectural works carried out that remodeled the apartments on the second floor, now called the “Winter Quarter”.
When Italy was unified and the capital of the Kingdom of Italy was transferred to Florence from Turin, the Savoy Royal Family used this palace as a residence and, after changing furnishings and upholstery, Palazzo Pitti became the Royal Palace for the five years that Florence was the capital of the Kingdom.
Vittorio Emanuele II settled in the apartments on the second floor and the apartment therefore took the name of “Apartment of His Majesty the King”. The last person who lived in the apartments on the second floor of Palazzo Pitti was Anne of France, Duchess of Aosta as she was the widow of Duke Amedeo d’Aosta. The appearance of the apartment is the one that was given by the Duchess and for this reason today the apartment bears the name of “Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta”.
PALAZZO PITTI: HOW AND WHEN VISITING
The Apartment of the Duchess of Aosta at Palazzo Pitti will be open every Sunday starting from November, and it will be accessible with the entrance ticket to Palazzo Pitti. The visit will be organized in groups of 20 people at a time, accompanied by a guide, and will last about 45 minutes. Timings: Guided tours will start at minute 30 of every hour. There will be 3 groups in the morning: at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30 and 3 groups in the afternoon: at 14:30, 15:30 and 16:30.
PALAZZO PITTI: WHAT TO SEE
In addition to the reopening of the Duchess’s Apartment, at Palazzo Pitti all the rooms are undergoing a restoration process and soon will open to visitors (hopefully very soon!).
This will finally give Florence, which has in fact hosted the Royal Family of Italy, the opportunity to boast a Royal Residence open to the public and to tourist visits. If you are in Florence and want more ideas on what to do in Florence, here is an idea. If, on the other hand, you are planning your holiday in Florence, here are some tips on where to stay.
