Palazzo Tolomei Florence

Palazzo Tolomei which hosted Raphael during the Renaissance is today the ideal place to discover Florence and its treasures. The long-standing tradition of Italian hospitality finds the perfect environment within its walls.

To sleep in the wonderful, frescoed Suites, relax in the rooms surrounded by treasures of art or to taste delicious wines and traditional delicacies are the precious moments which welcome the guests in this enchanting Palazzo. The deeply evocative atmosphere makes possible what every traveller desires, that is, an absolutely unique and authentic experience in Florence.

Everything is prepared to ensure that the guests’ stay is unforgettable: desserts and wines typical of the famous Tuscan tradition are always available in the reception area or in the rooms; furnishings, objects, books all to accompany the comfort of the guests.

But without a doubt it is surely the antique beauty of the Palazzo which makes the journey within its walls memorable. In the heart of the historic center, a few meters from the Duomo, from Michelangelo’s David , the Ponte Vecchio and all the wonders of Florence!

Entering the 15th century courtyard, the statue of Diana welcomes the guests with her enigmatic and sweet smile: the passage of time has made her beauty even more suggestive.

Palazzo Tolomei is located right in the heart of the historical center of Florence, in the midst of churches, museums, and extraordinary monuments. The artistic highlights of the city are just a few steps away: Michelangelo’s David, the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery and Santa Croce.

The Palazzo is also in the heart of the shopping district, a symbol of taste and Italian creativity, from the well known stylists to the emerging young designers. The artisan’s workshops are also famous, from goldsmiths to antiques, which display the marvels of Italian taste in their windows.

THE HISTORY OF PALAZZO TOLOMEI
The history of Palazzo Tolomei is inextricably linked with that of the marvellous and unrepeatable moment of the Florentine Renaissance. The first owners of the Palazzo were the Taddeis, an ancient patrician family of Florence.

Fine wool merchants and bankers, as well as business associates of the Medici family, the Taddeis are most well known for hosting the artist Raffaello Sanzio in 1505.

To thank the Taddei family for their hospitality, the great Raffaello painted them the “Madonna del Prato”, today found in the collection of the Kunsthistorische Museum of Vienna and the “Holy Family”, better known as the “Tondo Taddei,” today in the National Gallery of Scotland.

Michelangelo also worked for the Taddei family and sculpted the “Tondo Taddei” , currently found at the Royal Academy of London. For unknown reasons, the fortune of this family began to decline and Antonio Taddei, owner of the Palazzo in the 1500’s, left his descendents deep in debt.

In 1564 the Palazzo was sold to the Baglioni family from Perugia and passed from owner to owner until 1620 when it was purchased by the Del Chiaro family. It is thanks to this family, and in particular to the very refined and ambitious man Leon Battista del Chiaro, that we find the decorations which we still admire today in all of their splendour.

Although Leon Battista Del Chiaro was a very wealthy and famous merchant, he wanted to increase the prestige of his family through an important wedding. The bride was the daughter of the noble Florentine Marquis Giovan Giorgio Ugolini, of illustrious and ancient ancestry.

For this special event, the most famous artists of the time were called to decorate and renovate the Palazzo in Via Ginori; Alessandro Gherardini and Giuseppe Nicola Nasini , famous and highly sought after painters, were commissioned to paint the frescoes in the splendid halls and salons; Giovan Battista Ciceri was responsible for the plastering and decorations on all the floors of the Palazzo including the splendid frames and door coverings; Giovanni Baratta was given the commission to make the statue of Diana which still today welcomes the visitors in the 14th century courtyard, as well as the statue of the Hercules on the main stairway of the Palazzo.

On the evening of May 27th, 1645, at the end of the wedding festivities, Leon Battista del Chiaro led his bride Maria Ugolini into the luxurious Palazzo and we can only imagine the surprise and emotion the bride must have felt as she walked through the magnificent hallways and opulent bedrooms of her new home.

As luck would have it, as is recorded in a note in the genealogical history of the family, it was this “noble lady” who would cause the economic ruin of the family. She forced her husband to keep a lifestyle which was entirely above his financial means: parties and balls, clothing and decorations of only the highest level, waste and whims.

The couple did not have children and had to sell off the furnishings and paintings in order to maintain this capricious lady in luxuries. Upon the death of the last brother of the family Del Chiaro, Pier Giovanni, in 1664, the Palazzo was sold to Neri Tolomei, who had long been interested in its purchase. The Del Chiaro family had died out and with it, an era in which art and pomp were sovereign.

The Tolomeis were also a rich merchant family; so wealthy that already by the end of the 1300’s they had commissioned an elegant tomb for themselves in the lovely church of Santo Stefano al Ponte, right in the heart of Florence where the family worked as silk merchants.

The most famous member was Piero Tolomei, son of Guccio Tolomei, well known for a “spicy” adventure spoken about in those days. It seems Guccio was sent on an important political mission but neglected his duty preferring instead to spend his time with a “fair maiden.”

After this episode however, the luck of the family Tolomei continued to rise, along with their wealth. The Medici family protected them and at the height of their prosperity, they purchased the Palazzo in Via Ginori for the meager sum of 425 scudos.

It was surely a Palazzo in need of renovation, but if we think that just two years later the noble lady Margherita Frescobaldi , the bride of Neri Tolomei, brought a dowry of 3000 scudos, we realize how very little was paid for the Palazzo.

This wedding was a sign of the power of the Tolomei family. They restored and embellished the Palazzo even more, especially in the bedrooms and in the smaller halls, giving it the effect we still admire today.

The 1700’s were a period of wealth and honor for the Tolomei family and in 1823, another Neri Tolomei married the princess Luisa Corsini, daughter of Prince Tommaso. After so much success, however, came the decline: in 1850 the Palazzo was sold to the Marquis Giovanni Garzoni Venturi and immediately after, the Tolomei family died out.

ROOMS & SUITES
Living in the marvels of the Renaissance. The Rooms and the Suites of Palazzo Tolomei are all different and unique, created to satisfy the refined tastes of the ancient lords of the Palazzo. Their charm has been maintained over the centuries, giving us the most rare and precious experiences- that of Beauty!

Frescoes perfectly conserved in their full splendour of color and light, still intact over the years; pure white stuccoes which narrate love stories of nymphs and gods; statues whose marble has been smoothed and polished by time.

Precious objects which enrich both days and nights; crystals, porcelains and silver, wood gilded by master craftsmen. All harmoniously combined with the most modern amenities for the comfort and well-being.

LUXURY GOLD SUITE
This marvelous and prestigious Suite (140 sqm) takes it name from the exquisite 1700’s salon, the Gold Salon, perfectly conserved and decorated in gold and yellow, enriched with frescoes, stuccoes, wall paper, pink marble, fireplaces, porcelain, crystals and mirrors.

It is not easy to describe the sensation which envelopes the guest as soon as she/he walks through the door of this almost magical place; the most intimate area of the “piano nobile” of the Palazzo, that special place dedicated to luxury and pleasure.

The spacious and rich bedroom testifies to this vocation: all of the senses are involved with the white of the linens, the gold of the mirrors, and the splendid frescoes. Moments of pure relaxation are ensured by the double jacuzzi, a modern and appreciated touch in such antique surroundings.

Another surprise which awaits the guests is the “Cariatidi Alcove” a private and intimate space in Venetian style with its large bed and draperies in red and gold velvet.

Very welcome are the modern comforts: air conditioning, satellite television, DVD player, safe box, mini bar, plush dressing robes, courtesy soaps personalized with the magic ingredient of Tuscan Olive Oil, wonderful on the skin and with a very fresh profume.

Porcelain and crystal trays complete the guest table who will always find wine and sweet surprises upon arrival. For coffee lovers, the Nespresso machine is in the room with a selection of delicious types of coffee.

DELUXE SUITE
It is not easy to describe the beauty of this spacious ( 45 sqm) and magnificent Suite; beauty which originates with the extraordinary ceiling fresco,an important work of the Baroque artist Nasini.

All of its splendor enchants at the first glance. The colors of the ceiling are so very vibrant they seem as if just painted and the faces of the female figures smile with infinite sweetness. To sleep underneath them is a sublime experience.

The transparent light,which tinges the room with golden colors, also adds to the charm of the Suite. The stuccoes over the main door, with their luminous whiteness, tell the magical stories of Hercules and intrigue those who enter.

The extremely elegant stove in painted terracotta, dating from the 1700’s, completes the furnishings with its evocative presence and is another example of the aristocratic luxury of this Palazzo.

The poetry continues in the bathroom, which combines the most modern hydro massage complete with Turkish bath, with its Baroque decoration to suggest antique glories and gentle awakenings. The courtesy line of soaps is personalized with the magic ingredient of Tuscan Olive Oil , marvellous on the skin with a fresh profume.

The extremely comfortable bed with Memory-Foam mattress and the living room with its large white and purple sofas, enrich the comfort of this Suite. Porcelain vases and crystals complete the guests’ table, where they will find wine and sweet surprises upon arrival. For coffee lovers, there is a Nespresso machine in the room with a selection of a variety of coffees.

DELUXE ROOM
Dedicated to those who are looking for a special experience and want to enjoy the refined aristocracy of great Italian art. The charm of the decorations which welcome the guest from the first moment and transports them into a harmonious space composed of art, of the past and the future, of light and poetry.

These rooms, so spacious and rich with frescoes and stuccoes, amaze with their unchanging beauty: it is as if they have passed through the centuries to tell us about times long past when beauty was a privilege for few and enriched the nights of the lords of the Palazzo.

Art and its impressions are integrated effortlessly with the most modern of comforts and aristocratic luxury: hydro massage tubs, supremely comfortable beds, trays with small delicacies, satellite television, dvd player, mini bar complete with Chianti, fluffy bathrobes, and a courtesy set of personalized soaps with the magic ingredient of Tuscan Olive Oil.

For coffee lovers, a Nespresso machine with a selection of delicious coffees. Each room has a small library with the masterpieces of world literature in English.

SUPERIOR ROOM
These beautiful rooms have conserved the romantic atmosphere of the Baroque period. Some have the coffered ceiling typical of the 1600’s and the floors in original Florentine terracotta still amaze today with their unalterable elegance.

Antique charms blend in perfect harmony with the contemporary furnishings;white, silver, gold, crystals, porcelains, goblets, candelabras, mirrors. Refinement and luxury dominate the rooms.

Every detail brings to mind the aristocratic origins of the Palazzo, while the well being of the guests is guaranteed thanks to the most modern of comforts. The ample size of the rooms also offers great amenities: some of the rooms have a small and elegant cooking area, very convenient especially for longer stays.

Other rooms have a lovely living room space where an inviting white sofa beckons for moments of relaxation after days full of art and beauty. All of the rooms have a large table with trays of sweets which welcome the guests, creating a pleasant and hospitable atmosphere.

THE BREAKFAST
The freshness of the ingredients and the courtesy of the staff are the best way to start off a Florentine day! Upon request, a delicious breakfast ” all’italiana with coffee or cappuccino, fresh pastries, and other delicacies can be served in your room.

MUSEUM RESERVATIONS & CUSTOM-MADE TOURS
The Staff of the Palazzo is available to make reservations for museums and guided visits of the city for our guests. But that’s not all! The most enjoyable part of helping to organize stays in Florence is finding the hidden jewels, the special itineraries, for those who are interested.

Not just the world-famous museums, but the secret corners and most exclusive places of a wonderful Florence, unkown and ingnored by the normal tourist paths.

Rooms: 15

Price: from 196 EUR per night

Source: www.palazzotolomei.it