Palazzo Tolomei

History

The building is one of the oldest palaces in the city and was erected between 1270 and 1275 by the Tolomei family. It served as the first permanent headquarters of the Sienese commune during the early years of the Guelph era, before the construction of the Palazzo Pubblico in the Piazza del Campo, and it also functioned as a bank and private residence. It stands on the west side of the Piazza Tolomei, across from the church of San Cristoforo. The aristocratic Tolomei family for many years was associated with this parish church. On the Via Banchi di Sopra, it is a few houses south and across the street of the Palazzo Bichi Ruspoli, a few blocks north of the Piazza del Campo.

The original palace of this Guelf aristocratic family was mostly destroyed by Ghibelline mobs in 1267 but was rebuilt in its current form shortly after the new Guelph regime came to power. The stone palace, with its tall first floor and mullioned windows with trefoil decoration in upper floors, was restored in the 1960s and is now home to Banca CR Firenze.

The Tolomei family also bore Saint Bernardo Tolomei and the Blessed Nera Tolomei, memorialized in the facade of the church of San Cristoforo. In front of the palace stands a column crowned with a Roman She-wolf.