Borghese Palace

The Headquarters

Many years ago Ghibellina Street was named Palagio (Palace) Street because it begun with the oldest palace in Firenze: the Bargello. The actual name was given later, from the name of the door of the town that was built in 1261 on the old walls and named Ghibellina in honour of the winners of Montaperti battle. In the second half of 15th century the Salviati family built his own palace few meters from Bargello and two century later the palace was changed and made bigger by Gherardo Silvani, a well know architect. From the wedding of Anna Salviati with the roman Prince Marcantonio IV Borghese, in the second half of eighteen century, Camillo Borghese was born. He lived in the palace and in 1803 he brought his wife Paolina Bonaparte, Napolen sister’s.

Paolina Bonaparte was very beautiful, but the union was not so long and the princess left Firenze. Prince Camillo came back only after the Napoleon empire collapsed and granduke Ferdinando III Lorena suggested him t ogive a more prestigeous look to his old family palace. The task was given to a young and very promising architect Gaetano Baccani, who promised to close the refurbishments in six months.

The new Palazzo Borghese is one of the most important example of neoclassical architecture, even if the stones that cover the facade up the first floor are a typical link to renassaince taste. One year after Paolina and Camillo get back together and live in the new Boghese palace. Twenty year after, Paolina and Camillo departed, the palace is sold but keeps his name Borghese in order to remind the price how renewed it. The palace is no more a private residence but becomes a Circle for the high society of Firenze. The huge saloons of the first floor, completely decorated with frescos and golden chandeliers, became the place for events and parties. Palazzo Borghese hosted the Press Circle and the Chess Circle and the Bridge Circle. Today Palazzo Borghese is hosting Rotary Club Firenze.

If the interiors of the first floor are reminding the second half of nineteenth century, the ground floor are still reminding the project of Baccani, as the marble pillars that give the pace to the front facade of the palace. They were eight in total, but one of then was taken away by the furies of the Arno river during the 1966 fload. On the sides of the main entrance, once dedicated to the entrance of the coaches from Ghibellina street, are located two statues showing to old Egyptians. Probably these statues were made in the years in which Napoleon was winning his battles in Egipt. In that time also Firenze was touched by the new style Retour d’Egypte.

In the main entrance, where the courtyard was, there are three marble statues which represents grek-romans gods. They are copies of antiques, but the authors and the exact time is unknown. Some experts believe they are from the sixteen century, for others they are from Baccani age. The most interesting sculpture is the central one which represents Venus taking the bath, placed on a stand decorated with lions heads throwing water. So probably there was also a fountain in the courtyard. Despite many questions has still to be answered, Palazzo Borghese still is fashinating for the historical memory of the people that were living in his rooms, like the Mirror Saloon which hosted the dreams of the sister of the French Emperor.