Florentine Palaces & Their Stories is Janet Ross’s richly anecdotal account of the great houses of Florence, weaving together their architecture, their builders, and the dramatic histories of the families who raised them. From the Medici and Strozzi to lesser-known dynasties, Ross traces how rivalry, wealth, and ambition were written in stone across the Renaissance city.
A long-time resident of Tuscany with deep local knowledge, Ross combines architectural description with vivid storytelling drawn from chronicles and tradition. The palaces become stages for feuds, festivities, and the political life of the republic. For readers drawn to Florence and the Italian Renaissance, the book offers an engaging blend of building history and the human drama that filled these magnificent rooms.