Buontalenti Palace

Known as the “Casino Mediceo”, it is situated near Piazza San Marco. Here, in the time of Lorenzo the Magnificent, stood the famous Medici Garden (home to the Academy of Renaissance Sculptors, which included a very young Michelangelo). The building, with its broad Mannerist façade stretching from Via Cavour to the cornere of Piazza San Marco, was designed around 1575 by Bernardo Buontalenti on commission from Francesco I to house the Medici foundries; it was also a place of study and experimentation for the Prince himself, who was, moreover, passionate about alchemy.

In the first half of the 17th century, thanks to Cardinal Carlo de’ Medici who chose it as his residence, the palace was extended to a design by Silvani, and its interior decorated with a rich cycle of frescoes celebrating the Medici dynasty. Whilst until a few years ago it housed the Public Prosecutor’s Office, it is now one of the campuses of the European University Institute (School of Transnational Governance, EUI).

Having undergone a recent refurbishment (spring 2024), the palace frequently hosts events open to the public and is partially accessible, starting from the large green space created in the inner courtyard.