Palazzo della Carovana, Renaissance palace in Knights' Square, Pisa, Italy.
Palazzo della Carovana is a Renaissance palace on the Piazza dei Cavalieri in Pisa, recognizable by its symmetrical facade covered in scratched decorative designs. These patterns feature allegorical figures and zodiac symbols, executed after a design by Giorgio Vasari.
Between 1562 and 1564, Giorgio Vasari transformed the medieval Palazzo degli Anziani into the headquarters of the Knights of St. Stephen. This rebuilding gave the palace its current form and placed it at the center of the order's activities in the city.
The facade carries sculptures by Stoldo Lorenzi representing Religion and Justice, along with busts of the Medici rulers who oversaw the order. These works are still visible today and give a sense of the values the order wanted to project.
The building is now the main seat of the Scuola Normale Superiore, so access inside may be limited for visitors. The Piazza dei Cavalieri offers a good view of the facade at any time, and the surrounding square is easy to walk around.
The name Carovana comes from the three-year training period that new members of the Knights of St. Stephen had to complete before being fully admitted to the order. This word was common in the language of knightly orders and referred to a period of initiation or service.
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