Palazzo Spini Feroni

Palazzo Spini Feroni, in piazza Santa Trinità, is the grandest private medieval palazzo in Florence, Italy.

History

The palace was built from 1289 for the rich cloth merchant and banker Geri Spini, on the lands he had bought from the monks of Santa Trinita after the 1288 flood of the Arno.

At the time it was the largest private-owned palace in Florence, in competition with the seat of government, the Palazzo Vecchio, which was being built in the same period. Architects to whom the design has been attributed include Arnolfo di Cambio or Arnolfo's father, Lapo Tedesco. The edifice's original appearance can be seen in Ghirlandaio's frescoes in the Cappella Sassetti of the neighbouring church of Santa Trinita.In the 14th century the palazzo was divided between the two branches of the Spini; the section facing the piazza was sold in the 17th century. In the 1670s marquis Francesco Antonio Feroni, a rich member of Grand Duke Cosimo III's entourage, had it redecorated with stuccoes by Giovan Battista Foggini and Lorenzo Merlini, moving frescoes by Bernardino Poccetti (1609-1612) from their original location. They represent "Paradise with a Choir of Musician Angels" and the "Adoration of the Shepherds".

After a period as a hotel, in 1846 the "comune" of Florence bought it, and it was later used for offices during the period when Florence was capital of Italy (1865-1871). In 1874 it was partly renovated in neo-medieval style; shop-fronts were opened in the ground floor and a tower and an arch facing the river Arno were demolished, giving it the aspect it has today. In the 1920s it was bought by Salvatore Ferragamo.

From 1995 the second floor has housed the museum founded by shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo.

References

*cite book|last=Zucconi|first=Guido|year=1995|title=Florence: An Architectural Guide|location=San Giovanni Lupatoto|publisher=Arsenale Editrice|id=ISBN 88-7743-147-4
*Touring Club Italiano. "Firenze e dintorni".

External links

* [http://www.salvatoreferragamo.it/web/start.html Ferragamo Museum - Official website]