Palazzo Spini Feroni

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Palazzo Spini Feroni.

Palazzo Spini Feroni is a palace in Florence, Italy.

[edit] History

The palace was built from 1289 for the rich merchant Geri Spini, on the lands he had built from the monks of Santa Trinita after the 1288 flood.

At the time it was the largest private-owned palace in Florence, in competition with the Palazzo Vecchio, which was being built in the same period. Architect to whom the design was attributed include Arnolfo di Cambio or the latter's father Lapo Tedesco. The edifice's original appearance can be seen in Ghirlandaio's frescoes in the Cappella Sassetti of the neighbouring church of Santa Trinita.

Detail of the fresco of the Resurrection of the Boy by Domenico Ghirlandaio, in the Sassetti Chapel of Santa Trinita. It depicts a boy falling from the palace, who was later resurrected by St. Francis.

In the 14th century the palace was divided between the two branches of the Spini; the section facing the piazza was sold in the 17th century. In the 1670s marquis Francesco Antonio Feroni, a rich member of Grand Duke Cosimo III's entourage, had it redecorated with stuccoes by Giovan Battista Foggini and Lorenzo Merlini, including the moving of frescoes by Bernardino Poccetti (1609-1612) from its original location. They represent the Paradise with a Choir of Musician Angels and the Adoration of the Shepherds.

In 1824 a tower and an arch facing the Arno river were demolished. After a period as a hotel, in 1846 the comune of Florence bought it, and it was later used for offices during the period of Florence as capital of Italy (1865-1871). In that period it was partly renovated in neo-medieval style. In the 1920s it was bought by Salvatore Ferragamo.

From 1995 the second floor houses the shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo Museum.