Florence’s exclusive private residence club Palazzo Tornabuoni recently celebrated its five-year anniversary with a series of events throughout the week of June 15. Club members and guests were in prime attendance to make the occasion truly memorable and to mark the impressive milestone in the Palazzo’s life.
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alazzo members toured a hushed Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor on the Monday morning, when the museum was closed to the public, offering a unique and relaxed opportunity to enjoy the gallery’s fineries. In the evening, members and guests of Palazzo Tornabuoni were invited to a gala dinner held in the historic Sala delle Muse, with faultless catering provided by the Four Seasons Florence. The festivities continued on the outside terrace with dancing and dolci, after-dinner drinks and cigars.
Club President Riccardo Maccolini and the developers of the project, Byrne Murphy and Jacopo Fratini, thanked the Palazzo members for their ongoing support and belief in the private residence club concept since its inception. Murphy: ‘We bought into this incredible piece of real estate not knowing that it was actually a Medici building. We added unique access to the Florentine lifestyle and the finest services from the Four Seasons, and then came the final and most important factor: the members.’
Palazzo members also privately visited the Opificio delle Pietre Dure and il Borro wine estate in the Arezzo countryside owned by the Ferragamo family as well as enjoying a gentlemen’s evening with Tuscan cigars and tasting of grappa and chocolate and a piano recital with renowned soloist Clive Britton.
To cap off the festivities, a relaxed cocktail party took place on Friday, June 20. After a brief presentation by Riccardo Maccolini, members and guests got a glimpse of the considerable behind-the-scenes efforts that went into restoring the building, watching a video slide show chronicling the project’s evolution.
The cocktail offered ‘a great chance for all of us to relax after a long, busy week,’ explained Gabrielle Taylor, club attaché and director of events services. In addition to some solid rest and relaxation, members also enjoyed an exclusive first look at the palazzo’s new art exhibition. The foyer leading into the Sala delle Muse currently houses eye-catching paintings by 24-year-old artist Armando Cabba, a graduate of The Florence Academy of Art and a member of the Palazzo.
Palazzo Tornabuoni is looking forward to welcoming new members and to a future of continued finery.
