Museums of Palazzo Pitti

The building of Palazzo Pitti was begun for Luca Pitti in 1458 on a design by Brunelleschi and left unfinished. It was Eleonora di Toledo, wife of Grand-duke Cosimo I, who commissioned Ammannati to make it the elected residence of the Medici family. He enlarged the palace and built the grandiose courtyard. The building was further enlarged in the 17th century by Giulio and Alfonso Parigi with the present facade while the two lateral rondò (wings) were added later in the 18th century.
After Medici, the residence was inhabitated by Lorraine family and, throughout the brief period during which Florence was capital of the Italian Kingdom by the Savoy family. The Royal Apartments are open to public after a restoration and occupy the right wing of the palace.

The fame of the palace is linked to the prestigious Galleria Palatina, the picture gallery of the Medici and Lorraine families which was opened to public in 1828 by Grand-duke Leopoldo II. The collection continued to be enriched by the successive acquisitions of works of great value of italian and european artists between the 15th and the 18th century including masterpieces by Tiziano, Raffaello, Giorgione, Perugino, Rubens.

The grand-ducal summer apartments in the Pitti Palace are home to the Museo degli Argenti (Silverware), one of the most precious collection in the world including the Medici Treasure.