The Palazzo Pitti was originally built for the banker Luca Pitti. The huge scale of the building, begun in 1457 and attributed to Brunelleschi, illustrated Pitti's determination to outrival the Medici family through its display of wealth and power. The Medici purchased the palazzo when building costs bankrupted Pitti's heirs and in 1550 it became their main residence. Today the richly decorated rooms exhibit countless treasures from the Medici collections.
The Boboli Gardens were laid out in 1549 from plans by Niccolo Tribolo and were opened to the public in 1766. |
