La Torretta

Palazzo Bardi is situated on the south side of the river Arno a few minutes walk from the Ponte Vecchio, the Pitti Palace, the Boboli Gardens and, right across the river, the Uffizi Gallery and the shopping district.
On one side the apartment overlooks the medieval Via de’ Bardi, and on the other it enjoys spectacular views over the river and the city beyond, with its ancient towers and the cupola of the Cathedral.
The building’s original structure dates back to the 15th century, when a myriad of little cobbled roads branched off from the Ponte Vecchio into the Oltrarno, (“The Other Side of The Arno” named thus to distinguish it from the original site of the town which was on “This Side of the Arno). Oltrarno is still one of the city’s most charming and characteristic neighborhoods. The river’s banks were flanked by impressive buildings, known as palazzi, belonging to wealthy aristocratic families (e.g. the Bardi family).

In the nineteenth century, the architect Enrico Poggi was chosen to draw up a plan to transform Florence into the worthy capital of the new state of Italy, unified in 1860, a role which Florence maintained for five years, from 1865 to 1870. Poggi’s plan was to give Florence a look of uniformity and subdued elegance without creating a violent contrast with its Renaissance architecture.
He therefore decided to maintain the Renaissance color palette of cream plaster and grey pietra serena stone, visible in so many buildings throughout the city.

Palazzo Bardi underwent some modifications to conform to his ideal. Lungarno Torrigiani and the other streets along the river, together with the tree lined avenue sleading up to the Piazzale Michelangelo were designed by Poggi as places where Florentines could enjoy afternoon strolls and socialize in the open air.