The Newsletter of the Uffizi Galleries

Three centuries of court splendour in the private rooms of the King and Queen

Between public and private court life: a Palace for three dynasties

Pitti Palace

The Queen’s Bedroom

The Apartments are temporarily closed for maintenance and restoration workThe Imperial and Royal Apartments occupy the fourteen ceremonial rooms on the first floor, situated in the South wing of Pitti Palace. At the beginning of the 18th century the private apartments were occupied by Grand Prince of Tuscany Ferdinando de&rsquo; Medici; then, between the end of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century, they were renovated and altered by the Grand Dukes of Habsburg-Lorraine. From 1865 the sovereigns of the Royal House of Savoy (hence the name) lived there during the short period in which Florence was the capital of Italy, leaving the distinctive stamp of their taste on the general appearance of the Royal and Imperial Apartments, which is still visible today. Sumptuously furnished with pieces from the collections of the Medici, Habsburg-Lorraine and House of Savoy, they bear traces of the changing dynasties. The tables with semi-precious stone inlays, consoles and mirrors, furnishings and silk tapestries on the walls are in a striking mixture of styles, reflecting the daily life and taste of the different periods and inhabitants.