PALAZZO STROZZI

The formidable, isolated building you see in the middle of the left side of via de Tornabuoni is Palazzo Strozzi, one of the masterpieces of Renaissance civil architecture. Its construction began at the end of the 1400s and ended about fifty years later; the palace now hosts cultural institutions and is used as a venue for important exhibitions of ancient and modern art. The exterior is entirely covered with protruding, rusticated, and carved stones: a bench runs along the base, and the upper crowning is a powerful cornice. Its large, open portals on each side give you access to a beautiful inner courtyard.

FUN FACT: Palazzo Strozzi is one of the very few buildings where you can still see the original wrought iron from the end of the 15th century on its exterior; the rings were used to tie horse reins and its corners were used for torches and lanterns.