Palazzo Gianfigliazzi, located in the historical heart of Florence on the prestigious Lungarno Corsini, has roots dating back to 1427. This historic palace was the main residence of the powerful Gianfigliazzi family until the end of the 18th century. Over the centuries, the palace has undergone numerous renovations, while retaining its original charm. In 1818, after the Gianfigliazzi family died out, the palace was converted into a hotel under the name “Delle Quattro Nazioni”.
Illustrious figures have stayed here, including Alessandro Manzoni, who wrote the famous line “nelle cui acque risciacquai i miei cenci” (in whose waters I rinsed my rags), referring to the Arno. Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland, stayed here for long periods and became the owner of the property in 1828. Later, the residence was purchased by Ranieri Lamporecchi, a famous lawyer at the Bar of Florence. His granddaughter, Virginia, the young Countess of Castiglione, renowned for both her charm and her affair with Napoleon III of France, was born here and resided here for many years.
In 1867, the property was bought by the Belgian baron Adrian Van Der Linden Hoogworst, who was married to the Florentine noblewoman Aurora Guadagni and made the palace even more beautiful and sumptuous by transforming it into a refined residence in the French style.
Renowned for both its furnishings and sumptuous receptions, Palazzo Gianfigliazzi became one of the city’s most splendid and exclusive salons, to the point that it was mentioned by Hippolyte Taine in his Voyage en Italie because it formed the “parure of Florence”. When the Hoogworst family died out, the palace was bought by the Cesaroni Venanzi family and lastly by the lawyer Aldemiro Campodonico, a politician and publicist, in 1920. Today, his granddaughter Maria, Baroness De Hagenauer, helps to preserve its former glory.
Palazzo Gianfigliazzi continues to be a living testimony to the history and culture of Florence. Its architecture, the events that have played out here, and the illustrious figures who have lived here make it a unique and fascinating place, a gem in the heart of Florence.