Palazzo Caccini

The Palazzo Caccini, also known as the Palazzo del Corona, stands in Florence at the corner of Borgo Pinti and Via Nuova dei Caccini. Originally owned by the Ferrantini family in the 15th century, the building served as lodging for the Patriarch of Constantinople and Orthodox bishops during the Council of Florence in 1439. The property later passed to the Caccini family, who had it remodeled into a unified whole between 1561 and 1564 under Giovanni Caccini, a confidant of the Medici. Giorgio Vasari was involved in this renovation, while the portal is attributed to Bartolomeo Ammannati.

The present-day façade, with its thirteen bays and slightly broken lines, dates back to restoration work by the architect Leopoldo Pasqui around 1843. With its harmonious arrangement of windows and its contrast with the narrow old buildings nearby, it defines the look of the building. Inside, an elegant ground-floor loggia overlooks the former garden. The loggia is decorated with frescoes depicting allegories of the liberal arts and grotesque figures, with putti holding the coat of arms of the Da Filicaia family.

Historically, the palazzo was best known for its large garden, which was laid out in the early 17th century under Matteo Caccini. Rare exotic plants and flowers from around the world grew there, at times making the garden more famous than the building itself. Today only one area behind the Teatro della Pergola remains of this green space. The property changed hands several times, and Arthur Schopenhauer was among those who lived there. Today the palace is divided into apartments and belongs to several owners.