What secrets lie beneath the elegant façade of Palazzo Bardi-Tempi? Right here, on this picturesque stretch of the Arno River, stands Palazzo Bardi-Tempi. Don’t be fooled by its seemingly simple 19th-century appearance. This grand palazzo holds within its walls whispers of a much older, richer history, dating back to the medieval period. The story of Palazzo Bardi-Tempi begins with the Alberti family who owned the land in the 14th century. Imagine them, prosperous Florentine merchants, constructing their homes on this very spot, overlooking the Arno. Back then, the river was both a lifeline and a threat, its waters prone to unpredictable and destructive floods. In fact, remnants of a 13th-century flood wall, built by the Franciscan monks of Santa Croce to protect their basilica from the raging Arno, have been discovered beneath Palazzo Bardi-Tempi. Around the mid-1800s, the Palazzo Bardi-Tempi, as we see it today, began to take shape. The renowned architect Vittorio Bellini, known for his work on the nearby Palazzo Alberti Malenchini, was commissioned to design a new residence for the family. Bellini crafted an elegant and imposing structure, its three stories adorned with arched windows and a grand cornice, a testament to the family’s wealth and status in 19th-century Florence. Today, the Palazzo Bardi-Tempi has been transformed into a collection of luxurious apartments. But as you admire its stately façade, imagine the centuries of history echoing within its walls. Palazzo Bardi-Tempi stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of Florence, a city where the past seamlessly intertwines with the present.
Santa Lucia alla Castellina
“A sanctuary of art and faith””. You might say that about many places, but here at Santa Lucia alla Castellina,