Palazzo del Consiglio dei Dodici / Palace of the Council of the Twelve (Pisa, Italy)
N 43° 43.148 E 010° 23.990
32T E 612758 N 4841630
In the historic political centre of Pisa, Piazza dei Cavalieri (Knight's Square), are located important buildings of Pisan Renaissance - one of them is small Palazzo del Consiglio dei Dodici (Palace of the Council of the Twelve).
Waymark Code: WM7BM6
Location: Toscana, Italy
Date Posted: 10/01/2009
Views: 12
The Palazzo del Consiglio dei Dodici has changed names over time depending on the authority that has hosted: from Palace archive and Chancellery the Middle Ages, to Palace of Priori after the conquest of Florence (1509). The today's name "Palazzo del Consiglio dei Dodici" originates from time when palace passed into the hands of Order of the Knights of St. Stephen. Council of the Twelve (twelve chosen knights) was in fact a decision-making body of the St. Stephen Order.
The palace was renovated in the style of the late Renaissance at the end of the 16th century by architect Pietro Francavilla (also author of the Statue of Cosimo I before the close Palazzo dei Carovana). The frieze-lettering on the upper palace's cornice is reflexing fact, that the reconstruction works were completed in 1603 under the rule of Grand-Duke Ferdinando I de 'Medici.