Palazzo Toscanelli (Toscanelli Palace), Pisa

The Lanfranchi-Toscanelli Palace, built in the Renaissance architectural style, currently houses the Pisa State Archives, a role it has served since 1913.

Originally, this building was commissioned in the first half of the 16th century by Bartolomeo Lanfranchi. Some sources suggest that the renowned Michelangelo himself may have been the architect behind its design. However, in 1576, the palace underwent renovations according to the plans by Francesco Mosca.

In 1827, the affluent Toscanelli family, who were merchants, acquired the property and enlisted architect Alessandro Gherardesca to oversee its restoration. During the 1860s, the ceilings of certain rooms were adorned with frescoes portraying secular hagiography, including scenes featuring Lord Byron and Poetry, the Apotheosis of Galileo, and the Apotheosis of Michelangelo.

Giovan Battista Toscanelli and his wife, Angiola Cipriani, used the palace as their private residence and gradually amassed an extensive art collection. This collection included works by artists such as Cornelis Bloemaert, Agnolo Bronzino, Pietro Ciafferi, Jacques Courtois, Carlo Dolci, Francesco Fidanza, Károly Markó Junior, Cornelis van Poelenburgh, and Piero Zuccheri.

At one point, the palace featured an intriguing Mannerist marble sculpture, originally part of a fountain, depicting a fantastical female figure seated atop a frog. This sculpture had distinctive characteristics, including bare breasts, wings, fin-like feet, and a long tail. The attribution of this statue has been debated, with suggestions that it may have been created by Michelangelo himself or one of his followers, such as Silvio Cosini or Niccolo Tribolo. Today, this statue can be found in Blue Palace (Palazzo Blu).

Additionally, the Toscanelli Palace holds historical significance due to the visit of the English poet Lord Byron between 1821 and 1822. Byron later relocated to Albaro, near Genoa, and departed for Greece on July 16, 1823, where he ultimately met his untimely demise.