Palazzo Spini Feroni, Gothic palace in central Florence, Italy
Palazzo Spini Feroni is a stone palace occupying an entire city block at the corner of Piazza Santa Trinita, designed in the Gothic style with high arches and a distinctive cornice topped by medieval crenellations. The ground floor now serves as a museum space dedicated to footwear collections from the renowned Italian designer Salvatore Ferragamo.
Construction began in 1289 when merchant Geri Spini commissioned the building as one of the largest private residences ever built in Florence. Over the centuries, it maintained its prominence as a major aristocratic family stronghold in the city center.
A chapel inside holds frescoes from the 1600s showing Paradise with musicians and shepherds framed in gilded stucco. These painted scenes remain one of the most striking decorative elements visible throughout the residence.
You can view both the historic exterior and explore the museum space on the ground floor dedicated to footwear design. It works well to spend time observing the building's Gothic features from the square before stepping inside to see the collections and interior details.
Deep below ground level lies an ancient well known as Beatrice's Well, said to mark the spot where poet Dante encountered Beatrice Portinari near the nearby Santa Trinita Bridge. This hidden feature links the palace to one of Italian literature's most celebrated love stories.
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