Set between the piazza of the same name and Via Tornabuoni, Palazzo Strozzi is a symbolic monument of Renaissance architecture. It was built at the wish of the famous merchant, Filippo Strozzi known as Il Vecchio, who entrusted Benedetto da Maiano with the design of a family residence which was to bear comparison with those of the greatest Florentine nobles. Construction began in 1489 under the supervision of Simone del Pollaiolo, known as Cronaca.
The overall appearance of the palazzo is that of a small fortress set in the heart of the city. Built on a rectangular plan, it extends over two storeys as well as the ground floor, each divided by linear cornices. One of its principal features is the faithful respect of the canons of fifteenth-century architecture in the realisation of the rusticated facade: symmetrical and linear, it is made from large blocks of stone which are rough on the ground floor and become gradually smoother on the upper storeys.
On opposite sides, opening onto Via Tornabuoni and Piazza Strozzi, are the impressive portals, surrounded by rectangular windows framed by ashlar. The two upper storeys are decorated along the perimeter by two-light windows with an arch featuring a different type of facing stone which is round in contrast to the linear nature of the facade. Within the arch is the coat-of-arms of the Strozzi family. The imposing projecting cornice with its splendid decorations is supported by massive brackets.
In the interior is the courtyard designed by Cronaca. The portico running round all four sides is supported by arches (surmounted by stone cornices) resting on columns with characteristic capitals featuring stylised leaves. On the ground floor we can also observe the magnificent Sala Ferri.
The Palazzo still houses the historic Gabinetto Viesseux, with its extensive library and the National Institute of Renaissance Studies. On the mezzanine floor are the offices of Firenze Mostre. The rooms on the first floor, designed by the architect Pietro Berti, are used for the important exhibitions which are regularly housed in the palazzo.
The palazzo remained in the possession of the Strozzi family up to 1937, when it was purchased by the INA National Insurance Institute. It was later transferred to the State in 1999 and handed over to the Florence City Council.
