Overview
A renowned 14th-century Florentine residence
Built in the mid-14th century, Palazzo Davanzati is a luxurious residence in the heart of Florence commissioned by the Davizzi family. It is named after the Davanzati family, who bought the building in 1578 and altered the façade, adding the family coat of arms. Formed by grouping together several tower-houses, the Palazzo is an important testimony to this construction system, which was often used for residential buildings during the Renaissance. Several different people owned the building over the years until it was purchased by the Italian government in 1951, when it finally opened its doors to the public.
Inside, each floor features the same layout and order of rooms: starting from the Great Hall, you move on to the living room, then to the study and finally to the bedroom, each decorated with exquisite sculptures, paintings, frescoes and antique furniture. The Sala dei Pappagalli (Room of the Parrots) and the Sala dei Pavoni (Room of the Peacocks) are renowned for their beautiful frescoes. The latter houses a depiction of the Madonna and Child attributed by some to Filippo Brunelleschi, the architect who constructed the marvellous dome of the Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.
