Il Palazzo del Circolo dell'Unione di Firenze

Edited by Silvio Balloni, Francesca Carrara, Francesca Parrini

with genealogical consulting by Domenico Savini and Samuele Masi

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The story of a palazzo — home to the cultural club that continues to shape Florentine social life

The book offers an opportunity to rediscover a fascinating corner of Florence, exploring the history of a historic building designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1565, which was first owned by the Corsi family and later by the Uguccioni.

In the nineteenth century, the building underwent significant transformations, becoming in part the Hotel Stella d'Italia and in part the Circolo dell'Unione. Founded in 1852 and still active today, the club boasts a history spanning more than 150 years.

Thanks to new archival research conducted by Silvio Balloni, one of the volume's editors, it has been possible to shed new light on the organisational structure and the associative practices that governed the Club, which was reserved for the elite — not only the aristocracy, but also the city's ruling classes. Among the rediscovered treasures are the remarkable floor plans dating from 1779, which reveal the internal layout of the rooms, the work of architect Giulio Mannaioni.

Of particular interest is the appendix of documents and historical photographs, featuring some of the Club's most prominent members, including King Victor Emmanuel III of Savoy and Nino Bixio