n Florence for the same man, carrying it to the second range of
windows, with such grandeur and magnificence that nothing more rare or
more magnificent has yet been seen in the Tuscan manner. The doors of
this palace are double, with the opening sixteen braccia in length and
eight in breadth; the windows both of the first and second range are in
every way similar to these doors, and the vaultings double; and the
whole edifice is so masterly in design, that any more beautiful or more
magnificent architecture cannot be imagined. The builder of this palace
was Luca Fancelli, an architect of Florence, who erected many buildings
for Filippo, and one for Leon Batista Alberti, namely, the principal
chapel of the Nunziata in Florence, by order of Lodovico Gonzaga, who
took him to Mantua, where he made many works and married a wife and
lived and died, leaving heirs who are still called the Luchi from his
name. This palace was bought not many years ago by the most Illustrious
Lady Leonora di Toledo, Duchess of Florence, on the advice of the most
Illustrious Lord Duke Cosimo, her consort; and she increased the grounds
all round it so greatly that she made a very large garden, partly on the
plain, partly on the top of the hill, and partly on the slope, filling
it with all the sorts of trees both of the garden and of the forest,
most beautifully laid out, and making most delightful little groves with
innumerable sorts of evergreens, which flourish in every season; to say
nothing of the waters, the fountains, the conduits, the fishponds, the
fowling-places, the espaliers, and an infinity of other things worthy of
a magnanimous prince, about which I will be silent, because it is not
possible, without seeing them, ever to imagine their grandeur and their
beauty. And in truth Duke Cosimo could have chanced upon nothing more
worthy of the power and greatness of his mind than this palace, which
might truly appear to have been erected by Messer Luca Pitti, from the
design of Brunellesco, for his most Illustrious Excellency. Messer Luca
left it unfinished by reason of his cares in connection with the State,
and his heirs, having no means wherewith to complete it, and being
unwilling to let it go to ruin, were content to make it over to the
Duchess, who was ever spending money on it as long as she lived, but not
so much as to give hope that it would be soon finished. It is true,
indeed, according to what I once heard, that she was minded to spe