B&B Il Salotto di Firenze

Check in Check out

The Palace

The Palace, which houses IL SALOTTO DI FIRENZE, was built in 1860, 5 years before Florence became Capital of Italy from 1865 until 1870. During that period, a deep and complete remodeling of the City started of, because in a few years Florence would increased its own population of about 20.000 people more for the only accomodation of the National Governemnt Officials.

In order to meet the needs of the new capital in just two months, the architect Giuseppe Poggi submitted his "outline plan for [urban] expansion", based on a forecast of fifty thousand new inhabitants. This plan contained all the groundwork for the next fifty years of Florence's history. Poggi included the Maglio and Mattonaia districts and the widening of the roads already planned by the municipal Ufficio d'Arte, based on the example of the first guttings during the years of the grand duchy, and the earlier plans by the architect Del Sarto for rebuilding the ancient heart of the center around the Mercato Vecchio that called for a large bazaar with glass-covered galleries between Via Calimala, Via Pellicceria, Via Porta Rossa, and the archbishop's palace.
The demolition of the walls made it necessary to build a new customs boundary that divided the city's territory into two parts: open city and closed city. The positive aspect of Poggi's work is that he knew how to interpret and coordinate the powers at work and thus was able to quickly carry out grandiose projects, specifically the viali, which, in spite of everything, are the only planned and completed works in the modern history of Florentine urban development. As to Poggi's architecture within the old city, remodeling and rebuilding prevail over new designs. They are characterized by the skillful resolution of neoclassical forms in a mannerist style that is reminiscent of the Florentine cinquecento.

The architectural and urbanistic transformation of Florence characterizes the old Historical Center which did not change in its grounds during the coming yaers, except for the modification of the Ancient Market (Mercato Vecchio) in the current Piazza della Repubblica in 1870.