Corsini Palace (Palazzo Corsini) or Corsini al Parione Palace (Palazzo Corsini al Parione) is one of the monumental and most luxurious private palaces in Florence, in the interiors of which halls with beautiful frescoes, stucco and a grotto have been preserved; there is a grand staircase, a majestic throne room and a terrace.
Today, concerts, exhibitions, gala dinners, fashion shows and other events are held within the walls of the Corsini Palace. You can also visit the palace by appointment.
Palazzo Corsini is located in the historical part of Florence, on the north bank of the Arno River, on the eponymous Lugarno Corsini street (Lungarno Corsini).
The main facade of the palace overlooks the embankment and the waters of the Arno River.
View of the Corsini embankment with the Corsini PalaceInitially, there was a small house with a garden of the Medici family on this site.
In 1649, the palace, which was the property of Duke Ferdinando II de' Medici, was acquired by Maria Magdalena Macchiavelli, the wife of Marquis Filippo Corsini.
Bartolomeo Corsini (Maddalene Machiavelli's son) began the construction of a new palace with a chapel in 1656, with the participation of several architects, replacing each other. The palace still belongs to the Corsini family.
The palace has a late Baroque style, consists of three main buildings, where U-shaped wings face the river to provide maximum views of the river. From the river side, the wings of the palace are connected by a central terrace with a balustrade, behind which there is an inner courtyard.
The palace in the upper part is decorated with stone statues and terracotta vases, which was a novelty for Renaissance Florence.
The main portal is framed by columns and crowned with the Corsini coat of arms.
The interior decoration of Palazzo Corsini, executed in the period from 1692 to 1700, still appears in all its original glory, being an example of Florentine painting of that period.
Among the artists who decorated the rooms of the palazzo, a special place is occupied by such names as Anton Domenico Gabbiani, Alessandro Gherardini and Pierre Dandini.
The first floor of the palace, consisting of Summer Apartments and Nymphaeum Halls, is the most romantic and refined part of Palazzo Corsini. There are magnificent frescoes and a stunning Grotto created by architect Antonio Ferri between 1692 and 1698.
On the ground floor there is also the so-called Corsini Art Gallery (Galleria Corsini), which is the most important private art collection in Florence with Italian and European paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as some examples of Renaissance art.
The mezzanine, which can be reached by an impressive Grand Staircase decorated with neoclassical statues (including a statue of Pope Clement XII), opens the doors to halls richly decorated with preserved frescoes and stucco molding; as well as to the majestic Throne Room of two floors and 320 sq.m. with columns and pilasters along the walls, antique statues, busts of various authors eighteenth century and amazing frescoes.
The Corsini Palace hosts corporate negotiations and congresses, international events and meetings, concerts and exhibitions, as well as fashion shows, fashion and culture events, cinematographic filming, gala dinners, wedding celebrations and exclusive celebrations.
You can also visit the palace with a guided tour by appointment. During the tour, you can admire the first floor with Summer Apartments decorated with frescoes, an impressive Nymphaeum and Grotto, see the mezzanine with the Throne Room and numerous halls with the Corsini collection, as well as go out to the terrace facing the Arno embankment, from where you can enjoy good views. The duration of the visit is about an hour and a half.
Website of the Corsini Palace: palazzocorsini.it.
Address of the Corsini Palace: Lungarno Corsini, 10, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy.
Coordinates of the Corsini Palace: 43°46'13.7"N 11°14'56.3"E (43.770475, 11.248983).
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