Palazzo Corsini al Prato

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Palazzo Corsini al Prato by Bernardo Buontalenti, 1594
Via il Prato
Florence, April 2017

“Palazzo Corsini al Prato was created by Renaissance architect Bernardo Buontalenti in 1594, who amongst his many great works, is said, not unimportantly, to have invented Italian gelato. The building was commissioned by an aristocrat with a passion for botany who wished to have a villa in the city centre, surrounded by a large park. (Well, who doesn’t?) A few years later, however, construction had to be interrupted due to the aristocrat’s financial difficulties. It was only continued in 1620 when the Corsini family bought the property. Filippo Corsini had Gherardo Silvani create an Italian garden, adorned with statues that can still be found today. Skillfully done, the difference in height between the statues creates an effect that makes the garden look even bigger than it really is.” (Hidden from view, The Florentine)