Palazzo Lanfranchi

Palazzo Lanfranchi is a four-story Renaissance building on Lungarno Galileo Galilei in Pisa that integrates seven medieval towers into a unified structure. The building displays Renaissance features and a terrace with family coats of arms that speak to the wealthy past of its inhabitants.

The property began as eight tower houses from the 12th century, later reshaped by the wealthy Stefani family, wool merchants. The Lanfranchi family took over the residence later and left their name on the building.

The building now houses a collection of prints, drawings, and graphic artworks gathered by the University of Pisa. You can see works by artists like Giovanni Fattori and Giorgio Morandi, showing which artistic traditions have been important in this region.

The building stands in central Pisa on Lungarno Galileo Galilei and is easy to reach on foot. Inside, there are regular rotating exhibitions of graphics, prints, and drawings, so the offerings can vary with each visit.

Mary Shelley spent time at the palazzo and participated in scientific experiments that influenced her work on Frankenstein. This personal connection to the famous novel makes the place particularly interesting for literature enthusiasts.