Palagio di Parte Guelfa (Guelphs’ Palace )

The word palagio (from latin palatium), refers to any Florentine building larger than a tower house, but not yet the family palace of the Renaissance. The historic building Palagio dei Capitani di Parte Guelfa (better known as Palagio di Parte Guelfa) was built in the XIV-XV centuries and was the headquarters and meeting place of the Guelphs (Parte Guelfa).

In the great Papal and Imperial quarrel that shook Italy in the 12th century the parties of Guelphs and Ghibellines took shape and acquired an ineradicable force. The Guelphs, friends of the democratic expansion, maintained, against the claims of the Emperor, the independence of Italy and the supremacy of the Pope. The Ghibelline party, which included naturalized nobles, men of arms, and advocates of feudalism, supported the authority of the German emperors over the Italian States.

Firenze, Palagio di Parte Guelfa The division between Guelphs and Ghibellines was especially important in Florence, although the two sides frequently rebelled against each other and took power in many of the other northern Italian cities as well. In Florence were the Guelphs to take the power, except for a short period from 1248 to 1250. There, the Parte Guelfa practically established a miniature republic within the republic. The governing board consisted of a committee of six officers or Capitani, flanked by a secret council of 14 members, and a great council of 70 members. Its institutional role was to watch over the interests of the Guelph cause. A special officer had the duty of hunting up and accusing those who were suspected of Ghibelline feelings; the punishment was at the discretion of the Capitani. For a long time the Guelph party remained a dangerous unconstitutional organization and exercised a more or less pernicious influence on Florentine affairs. As its power increased, the pride of the party leaders waxed apace, and their insolence towards the remainder of the citizens became almost intolerable. "This Parte Guelfa" said Niccolò Machiavelli, "abused its powers exceedingly for party purposes, and the Capitani became more feared than the Signoria itself, and behaved most insolently towards it". The organization was dissolved in the 15th century. The early part of the Palagio started to be built at the beginning of XIV century, but the works continued for many years, until it occupied an entire block. In the first half of the XV century the architects Filippo Brunelleschi and, later, Francesco della Luna designed and managed several alterations of the interior of the building. Of particular interest is the Salone Brunelleschi (so called from its designer), where the welcome party of PRE’10 Workshop will be held on Wednesday 28 April 2010. Inside the medieval palace, nowadays the headquarters of two of the most important historic Florentine organizations, Calcio Storico Fiorentino and Corteo Storico della Repubblica Fiorentina, there are some impressive rooms decorated by Giambologna, Luca della Palagio di Parte Guelfa – Salone Brunelleschi Robbia, and Donatello.

An example, visible above one of the palace’s inner doors, is the lunetta in glazed ceramics with “Madonna with Child”, shown here, a magnificent work by Luca della Robbia. .