Donatello

Originally the residence of the wealthy Florentine banker Luca Pitti, this magnificent palace was purchased in 1550 by Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici, who established his court there with his wife Eleonora of Toledo. After two centuries, from 1737, the palace was to be the residence of the Lorraine family, who succeeded the Medici in the Grand Duchy, and later of the Savoy family during the five years when Florence was the capital of Italy.

The Museo Civico di Siena is housed on the first floor of the Palazzo Pubblico in Piazza del Campo. The Palazzo, still used for its original function, contains the offices and rooms of the municipal council. From the main entrance, one enters the Cortile del Podestà, where the entrance to the museum is located, and the Torre del Mangia, from which one can enjoy a splendid view after climbing more than 400 steps.

The Uffizi, built between 1560 and 1580 to a design by Giorgio Vasari, is among the most important museums in the world for its extraordinary collections of ancient sculptures and paintings (from the Middle Ages to the modern age).