Palazzo Ducale: Cortile degli Svizzeri

The present palazzo was erected on the site of a medieval fortress. In 1577 Bartolomeo Ammanati planned a four-cornered building with a central courtyard. This palazzo was unfinished; the north and west wings were not built because of a lack of funds. It remained unfinished until 1728, when a local architect carried out a plan for a second courtyard.

The Cortile degli Svizzeri (Courtyard of the Swiss Guard) is the central courtyard of the ducal palace. It is surrounded by a portico with two rows of pillars.