[Florence] Palazzo Pitti
Vast, mainly Renaissance, palace in Florence, Italy
In the late 18th century, the palazzo was used as a power base by Napoleon
On moving into the palace, Cosimo had Vasari enlarge the structure to fit his tastes; the palace was more than doubled by the addition of a new block along the rear. Vasari also built the Vasari Corridor, an above-ground walkway from Cosimo’s old palace and the seat of government, the Palazzo Vecchio, through the Uffizi, above the Ponte Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti.
[Vasari Corridor (the secret passageway of the Medici)](%5BFlorence%5D%20Ponte%20Vecchio/Vasari%20Corridor%20(the%20secret%20passageway%20of%20the%20Medi%20eac32382212a41a88805128b5bd9e84b.md)
This enabled the Grand Duke and his family to move easily and safely from their official residence to the Palazzo Pitti. Initially the Palazzo Pitti was used mostly for lodging official guests and for occasional functions of the court, while the Medicis’ principal residence remained the Palazzo Vecchio.
