Palace of the Caravan

PALACE OF THE CARAVAN

The palace of the Caravan (or the Knights) is one of the most famous buildings in Pisa and the most vistant of the Knights' Square in Pisa. Already the headquarters of the Order of the Knights of St. Stephen, since 1846 is the seat of the Normale School of Pisa.

It was built between 1562 and 1564 by Giorgio Vasari, drastically renovating the medieval Palazzo degli Anziani: some remains of the ancient palace and some towers houses are still visible on the sides of the building.

The name comes from the three-year novitiate of the new adepts, during which they followed a weapons training training course to become part of the "caravans" that would beat the Mediterranean and counteract the raids of the corsairs: from here the term of the Caravan.

Vasari regularized the unusual medieval façade, blending architecture, sculpture and painting. Graffiti with allegorical figures and zodiac signs, drawn by Vasari himself, were executed by Tommaso Battista of Verrocchio and Alessandro Forzori (1564-1566), moving the facade together with marble busts and coat-of-arms. Today's paintings seem to enjoy a great state of conservation, but in reality they have to be repainted in the 19th and 20th centuries, as the exterior paintings are extremely fragile and subject to fading and deterioration due to weather conditions.

Among the sculptures are the coat of arms of the Medici and Knights, alongside the allegories allegories of Stoldo Lorenzi's Religion and Justice (1563); The coat-of arms on the corners are of Giovanni Fancelli (1564). At the top a gallery of busts of the Grand Dukes of Medicean was added in three different times from as many hands as Cosimo I, Francesco I and Ferdinando I by Ridolfo Sirigatti in 1590-1596; Cosimo II by Pietro Tacca (circa 1633); Ferdinand II and Cosimo III by Giovan Battista Foggini (1681 and 1718).

The double ramped marble staircase was rebuilt in 1821 by Giuseppe Marchelli in lieu of the original smaller size. The back of the building was added to Giovanni Girometti's project in 1928-1930 during a re-launch of the Normale School promoted by Giovanni Gentile.

Inside there are some frescos or decorated with 19th-century stuccos, where some canvases of the sixteenth century are found (Carlo Portelli, Francesco del Brina and Giovan Battista Naldini).