Palazzo della Carovana / The Caravan's Palace (Pisa, Italy)
N 43° 43.175 E 010° 24.018
32T E 612795 N 4841681
The most remarkable building in the famous Piazza dei Cavalieri (Knight's Square) in Pisa's historic centre is beautiful Renaissance palace - Palazzo della Carovana...
Waymark Code: WM7BKN
Location: Toscana, Italy
Date Posted: 10/01/2009
Views: 22
The Palazzo della Carovana palace in the Piazza dei Cavalieri was originally the Palazzo degli Anziani (Palace of the Elders). In 1562 the famous architect Giorgio Vasari began the rebuilding and enlargement which produced the magnificent or Palazzo della Carovana (also called Palazzo dei Cavalieri).
The palace is named after the training courses for knights (Cavalieri) of the Order of St. Stephen which were held here - the courses were known as carovane (caravans). The imposing Renaissance facade is decorated with sgraffito ornament, coats of arms and busts of six Grand Dukes of Tuscany (from Cosimo I to Cosimo III). The effect of the building is enhanced by the wide projection of the roof and the handsome double staircase leading up to the entrance.
Since 1810 the palace has housed the Scuola Normale Superiore, an elite technical university founded by Napoleon. In front of the building is a statue of Cosimo I by Piero Francavilla (1596).