Tucked away on a cross-street between the Medici Chapels and Santa Maria Novella stands Palazzo Coppini, while, in turn, the cabinet of curiosities stands for something. It’s a meeting place of cultures, peoples and values.
Take a few moments on crossing the threshold to examine all the university names surrounding the door as a mark of the partnerships formed around the globe by the Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation. A stroll around the ground floor reveals the eclectic collection accumulated by the no-profit association since its founding after the fall of the Berlin Wall for the purposes of bringing young people from Eastern Europe closer together through culture by inviting them to Florence.
“This is a museum centred on gratitude,” Carlotta Del Bianco, the foundation’s president, explains. “All types of items are displayed, regardless of their value; what matters is the sentiment of the donor.” From a bright Japanese tunic to paper coasters from 1980s Ukraine, all the gifts donated to the foundation by professors, students and city councillors over 35 years are displayed in a random order, although they have all been catalogued online with explanations about each artefact. Approximately 8,000 books in 53 languages and 11 alphabets form an enviable library that can be accessed in person and on the internet by scholars working at the foundation’s partner organizations around the globe. Meanwhile, Dino de Ranieri’s sculptures of Florentine figures cling to the pietra serena pillars as evidence of the statues that the foundation has sent as “ambassadors” to cultural institutions around the world, such as Moscow, Kyoto and the United States.
“My family bought the palazzo in 1973 after it had changed hands several times and flood damage was still evident. Originally, we planned on opening it as a hotel, but we wanted to show our gratitude to Florence and decided to open as a study centre instead with renovation taking place in 2013.” Original coffered wooden ceilings and a striking pietra serena fireplace demonstrate the building’s medieval era on the first floor, where Roberto Corazzi’s 1:100 wooden model of Brunelleschi’s Dome attracts attention. Carlotta explains how the former owners, the noble Pelli family, managed to secure an adjacent tower house in the past, which can be seen from the spacious terrace and balcony overlooking the palazzo’s very own inner courtyard.
While maintaining its function as a study centre and meeting place for cultures, Palazzo Coppini has gained traction as an events venue, having hosted the Saudi Arabia Heritage Commission and The Makers from the Netherlands last year.
Palazzo Coppini will be open for two-hour guided tours at 10am and 3pm on the following dates in 2025: January 31, February 28, March 21, April 24, May 30, June 27, September 26, October 31 + November 28. To book, call +39 055 2382762 or +39 349 77900 or email info@palazzocoppini.org.
