Casino Mediceo di San Marco

On the death of Francesco I, in 1587 the palazzo was inherited by Antonio who took up residence here in 1597, commissioning numerous works for the rooms and garden which hosted sculptural groups by Giambologna.

Inside the palazzo, don Antonio created a research laboratory, known as the Fonderia, and assembled various scholars interested in chemical and alchemy.

[citation needed] After the Medici, the building played various roles, barracks, customs house, ministry of finances, finally court of appeals until 2012.

[2] Since 2017, the Casino Mediceo di San Marco is home of the School of Transnational Governance, part of the European University Institute.

[3] The exterior walls, windows, and portals are decorated with a whimsical array of eccentricities, a defining feature of Mannerist architecture.