In the mid-15th century, the rich, ambitious banker, Luca Pitti, commissioned Palazzo Pitti to Brunelleschi. It’s believed that the original project was meant for the Medicis - but they opted for a more modest build to avoid the envy of other Florentine families. The palace was built in stages, with each stage adding to the initial core. The core alone consisted of a cube as large as the seven central windows! Don’t you think the rugged façade, made with a bold and rough ashlar, makes the structure look like an impregnable fortress? The structure was enlarged by Ammannati, who added an imposing internal courtyard. But Giulio and Alfonso Parigi brought it to its current size. Two outer wings, called Rondò, were added later - designed by Ruggieri and Poccianti. They sensitively maintained the architectural language of previous phases.