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Palaces and Villas
In the eleventh century the
"palace" was the result of the rural aristocracy of the
high middle ages moving beyond their castles and establishing themselves
within the urban walls of the free Comune. They were the exclusive
homes of well-to-do families in contrast to the "casa",
the house of the commoner and the "church" which was the
house of God and all. The aristocratic families then came to became
solidly planted in pubblic offices as well. From the 1500's to the
1700's they demonstrate their wealth and power by building palaces,
from the restoration of old houses or by creating new ones. These
palaces of Renaissance or Baroque architecture were adorned with
family crests. At one time the interiors were rich with precious
works of art, paintings, sculpture, furniture, libraries and archiveswhich
today fro the most part have been stripped bare and their treasures
for the most part dispersed as opposed to the churches which still
contain a good part of their prestigious antique works. The major
part of the plalaces if not turned into public offices have been
turned into cold condominiums. We have noted below a few of the
many which are interesting from a historic and architectural point
of view:
(XIII century) PALAZZO QUINTANI
On the corner of number 26 of Via Roma, it is a typical example
of a house from the end of the 1200's. It has remained whole in
its structure with large smooth walls in stone and arched windows
of an extreme simplicity.
(XIII century) PALAZZO ALFIERI-ALTICOZZI
The Alfieri family built its palace at number 6 Via Nazionale on
what was probably pre-existing Romam buildings in the thirteenth
century. In the 1400's the ownership passed to the Alticozzi family
and it was restructured and further expanded on in the course of
the sixteenth century when it was decided to give it a new facade.
It is a smber tall and harmonious building. There are two noble
floors above the ground floor with windows which are framed by stone
and beams. The last floor, that of the servants, has smaller square
windows. In the frieze the family crest of the Alticozzi can be
found.
(XIII CENTURY) PALAZZO PONTELLI-MANCINI
This palace is located on the corner of number 15 Via Dardano. The
lower portion of the building has a very evident so-called "door
of the dead" of from the 1300's. The floor plan of the place
is medieval while its development in elevation is in the style of
the 1500's. The facade consists of a ground florr and two upper
floors, divided by underlining cornices which mark off the levels.
Each of the two upper floors has five windows and above the great
door is the crest of the Pontelli family.
 (XV
century) PALAZZO TOMMASI-FIERLI
One of the largest and most majestic of Cortona, this palace can
be found at number 25 on via Benedietti. The lower floor is contructed
with a long series of open ashlar archways which are now closed.
Two long rows of arched windows on the corners of the upper stories
are divided by the linear cornices. The facade is quite impressive.
In the lunette over the entry door is a stupendous beat iron grate
with the crest of the Tommasi family.
(XVI century) PALAZZO BALDELLI
This palace at number 15 Via Guelfa is now the site of Albergo San
Michele (a hotel).
It is considered to be an "abridged history of Cortona"
as it was the site of a fortification in the eleventh century, in
the twelfth century it was the city residence of the Marquis of
the Monte Santa Maria and in 1200 it was destined to be the public
"Ragione" office, where the podestà would administer
justice. It passed into the possesion of the Baldelli family in
the fifteenth century and was remodelled two times in the sixteenth
century. There was other extensive work completed in the following
century but the palace has esentially converved its 1500's appearance.
(XVI century) PALAZZO CRISTOFANELLO-LAPARELLI
As is indicated in the Latin inscription on the large frieze, Benedetto
Laparelli, an apostolic protonotary in the time of pope Paul III
Farnese, had this building constructed in 1533 on the prievious
structures of his family's propriety at number 4 Via Guelfa. The
architect was Givanbbattista Infregliati of Cortona also known as
Cristofanello (who died in Umbertide in 1554). The facade is of
worked stone and is divided into three levels. The ground floor
has wide ashlar arches, the middle has large arched windows divided
by pilaster strips and the upper floor consists of a large loggia
with ten columns and six pilasters. It is worth noticing the beat
iron flagholders to the left of the entry door. Today it is the
property of the Banca Popolare of Cortona (a bank) which has established
its headquarters here and financed numerous restorations.
(XVI century) PALAZZO SERNINI-CUCCIATTI
The detail to admire on this palace located at Piazzetta Alfieri
number 3 is the elegant Renaissance entry door, the work of the
Cortonese Cristofanello.
(XVI century) PALAZZO VENUTI
Located at numbers 70 and 72 Via Nazionale, the first Ridolfino
Venuti who died in 1602 and was buried as was the second in the
cathedral. He left the palace in 1592 as final payment to the Cortonese
architect Francesco Berrettini (who died in 1608) the uncle of Pietro
Cortona, for the work he did on the new house on the main street
(ruga piana). The palace rises above the ancestral home of the Venuti.
The facade has figures of the Venuti crest and is developed horizontally
along Via Nazionale. The name Ridofino is carved on the door post
of three of the doors on the first floor. The large fireplace and
the entrance door are inscribed with Greek and Latin quotes. The
doors are decorated with gouache paintings which depict allegories
which were popular during the windows, which are also of square
masonry.
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