Palazzo della Gherardesca, Renaissance palace and luxury hotel in Florence, Italy.
Palazzo della Gherardesca is a Renaissance palace in the historic center of Florence, now operating as a hotel. It surrounds one of the largest private gardens in the old city, laid out across several levels and complemented by a rectangular courtyard decorated with carved stone reliefs.
The palace was built in the late 15th century for a high-ranking Florentine official with close ties to the Medici family. Over the following centuries, the building changed hands several times before being converted into a hotel in the 20th century.
The name comes from the Gherardesca family, one of the oldest noble families in Tuscany. Today, the halls and garden welcome hotel guests from around the world, while the original layout of the rooms has largely been kept intact.
The building is primarily accessible to hotel guests, so staying there is the best way to explore the courtyard and the garden. Those planning a brief visit should be aware that access to certain areas may be restricted.
The garden contains mandarin trees whose origins trace back to saplings from the early 1600s, making this one of the first places in Florence where the plant was cultivated. Alongside them grow very old specimens of a maple and a giant sequoia.
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