Palazzo Medici Riccardi: The Power and Beauty of the Medici Palace

Larger than life: Art that inspires us through the ages

In the historic center of Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, stands the former Medici residence, a model of civil Renaissance architecture. The three-level façade inspired many Renaissance architects. The façade’s first level is decorated with rustic stone blocks, the second level has a smooth ashlar surface, and the third level is the shortest but also the most elegant with its ashlar blocks almost free of cracks between each block. JJFarq/Shutterstock

Once ruled by the powerful Medici family, Florence hosts some of the most beautiful treasures of the Italian Renaissance. Among these is the official residence of the Medicis until 1659, known as the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, or the Medici Palace.

In 1444, Cosimo the Elder, the head of the Medici banking family, commissioned this palace as a private residence for his family. The Medici had a tremendous economic and artistic influence in Tuscany and promoted the growth of the Florentine Renaissance.