The Palazzo Lanfredini is a historic building in Florence. It is located in the Santo Spirito district and is the seat of the British Institute of Florence.
Palazzo Lanfredini Florence
Address, opening hours and admission
The address of the Palazzo Lanfredini is Lungarno Guicciardini, 9-11 – Florence. District: Santo Spirito. The nearest bus stop is Coverelli (line C3, C4). The palace is not accessible to tourists.
History
The Palazzo Lanfredini was built at the beginning of the 16th century. It was commissioned by Lanfredino di Jacopo d’Orsino Lanfredini, the former Gonfaloniere della Giustizia. (The office of “standard-bearer of justice” was the highest position in the government of the Florentine Republic.)
The upper part of the façade is decorated with paintings of coats of arms and grotesque figures. Despite many restorations, this facade designed by Baccio d’Agnolo and executed by Feltrini has remained largely intact.
It is possible that a number of houses already belonging to the Lanfredini family were put together to create the palace. Some of the foundations of the building date back to the 14th century.
In 1741, after the death of the last male member of the family, Cardinal Jacopo Lanfredini, his sister Ottavia passed the palace on to Lorenzo Corboli. Corboli‘s family kept ownership of the building for more than a century.
The next owners were the Benini, who restored it and converted it into a hotel.
In 1921 Ugo Palchetti redecorated the interior. At that time, there were also some plans to convert the building into a school.
Today, the British Institute of Florence is based in the Palazzo Lanfredini.
On the frieze there is an inscription dedicated to Pope Leo X. It was probably placed there on the occasion of a papal visit to Florence in 1515.
On the arch above the entrance at house number 9 the coat of arms of the Lanfredini is depicted.