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Corsini Family: an itinerary from Florence to Rome to discover their history

Corsini Family: an itinerary from Florence to Rome to discover their history

Discovering the Corsini Route

Eight centuries of history from a great family like the Corsinis have left distinctive and, in some cases, iconic marks in Italian history. One striking example is the Fontana di Trevi in Rome, dominated by the Corsini coat of arms, a tribute to Pope Clement XII, who commissioned Nicola Salvi to build it in 1731.

Following the thread of the “Corsini legacy”, we’ve mapped out an itinerary that connects Florence to Rome, passing through Villa Le Corti in Chianti Classico and the Marsiliana Estate in Maremma. Along the way, there are various stops where one can trace the fascinating history of this noble family.

Corsini Itinerary in Florence

This first itinerary, about 3 km long, begins in the heart of Florence. Historical sources indicate that the Corsini family settled in the Oltrarno area, having moved from the countryside of Poggibonsi, and enrolled in the Wool Guild.

This was in the second half of the 13th century. Neri Corsini, who lived between 1244 and 1325, became wealthy through the wool and silk trade.

Stop 1: Palazzo Corsini Suarez

Located at Via Maggio 42, Palazzo Corsini Suarez in the early 1300s records three family-owned houses. Saint Andrea Corsini was born in one of them in 1301.

These houses were partially destroyed during the Ciompi Revolt of 1378 and later demolished to make way for the current palace, which still displays the Corsini coat of arms on its façade.

Stop 2: Palazzo Corsini al Prato

Just a short walk from Santa Maria Novella Station, this palace (Via il Prato 56-58) was originally a summer residence and is now the home of the current Prince of Sismano. The Italian-style garden is open to the public during private events, especially “Artigianato e Palazzo,” held every September.

It was built by Gherardo Silvani, who designed a rear avenue lined with sculptures on pedestals of descending height, creating a striking perspective effect.

Stop 3: Palazzo Corsini al Parione

Located at Via del Parione 11, this palace showcases the family’s power from the 1600s, when they were second only to the Medici.

Construction took fifty years, and the frescoes of the noble floor, including the Aurora Gallery, the ballroom, and state rooms, were painted between 1692 and 1700 by artists like Anton Domenico Gabbiani, Alessandro Gherardini, and Pier Dandini. The palace can be visited by appointment, from Monday to Friday.

Stop 4: Basilica of Santa Maria del Carmine

Saint Andrea Corsini (1301–1374), bishop of Fiesole and canonized in 1624 by Pope Urban VIII Barberini, is a key figure in the family’s legacy. His remains are kept in the Corsini Chapel of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Carmine (Piazza del Carmine 14), designed by Pier Francesco Silvani. It marks the arrival of Roman Baroque in Florence.

Noteworthy are the sculptural reliefs by Giovan Battista Foggini and the frescoes by Luca Giordano, his first works in Florence: Saint Andrea Corsini in the Glory of Paradise in the dome, and The Four Virtues in the pendentives, both dated 1682.

Stop 5: Uffizi Gallery

In Room 101 of the Uffizi Gallery (Piazzale degli Uffizi 6), you can admire Guido Reni’s Vision of Saint Andrea Corsini, commissioned by the family in 1629 for the saint’s canonization. Considered one of Reni’s masterpieces, it reflects his mature style, inspired by Raphael and classical antiquity rather than Bernini’s Baroque.

Stop 6: Lungarno Corsini

A walk along the Lungarno from Ponte Santa Trinita to Ponte alla Carraia reveals historic buildings such as Palazzo Piccioli, Palazzo Gianfigliazzi, Palazzo Corsini al Parione, and Palazzo Ricasoli.

Stop 7: Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

The cathedral’s façade, completed in the late 1800s by architect Emilio De Fabris and funded through a public campaign initiated by King Victor Emmanuel II, features the Corsini coat of arms among other benefactors.

Inside, in the third bay of the right nave, is the 1422 fresco by Giovanni dal Ponte for the tomb of Cardinal Pietro Corsini (ca. 1335–1405), once bishop of Florence.

Stop 8: Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum (Piazza Santissima Annunziata 9/B) is a must-visit for its Central Italian antiquities, housed in Palazzo della Crocetta. Tommaso Corsini (1835–1919) enriched the Etruscan section with artifacts found during his excavations at Tenuta Marsiliana, notably the Corsini Fibula and the “tavoletta di Marsiliana” (Marsiliana Tablet).

Corsini Itinerary among Florentine Villas

The second itinerary dedicated to the Corsini family focuses on their magnificent villas, acquired over several centuries and still open to admiration today.

This route is approximately 45 km long and can be traveled by bicycle or car, winding through the Florentine countryside, nestled among the olive groves and vineyards of the Chianti Classico region.

Stop 1: Villa Corsini in Castello

Originally built by the Strozzi family in the 15th century (Via della Petraia 38), it passed to the Corsinis in 1697 through the marriage of Filippo Corsini and Lucrezia Rinuccini.

Giambattista Foggini oversaw a radical Baroque renovation, and the garden was redesigned into three dramatic scenic areas. Today it hosts the detached section of the National Archaeological Museum’s Etruscan and Roman Sculpture collections.

Stop 2: Villa Corsini a Mezzomonte

Purchased in 1644 by Marchese Bartolomeo Corsini from Cardinal Carlo de’ Medici, Villa Corsini a Mezzomonte is in Via Imprunetana per Pozzolatico 116 – Impruneta. The family built much of the gardens and the noble floor chapel dedicated to Saint Andrea Corsini.

It is visible from the outside and open only for special events and weddings.

Stop 3: Villa Le Corti

Owned by the family for over seven centuries (Via San Piero di Sotto 1 – San Casciano Val di Pesa), this villa is an architectural and landscape gem overlooking the Chianti hills. Its current design is by Santi di Tito, commissioned by Bartolomeo Corsini in the late 1500s to create an innovative villa-farm integrating noble residence and agricultural production.

The same artists who decorated the Palazzo Corsini in Florence worked here as well.

Corsini Itinerary in Tuscany

This third itinerary we’ve designed covers a distance of approximately 202 km, best explored by car.

The scenic route winds through Tuscany, leading you to discover the palaces and villas owned by the Corsini family.

Stop 1: Museo Civico – Palazzo Corsini in Fucecchio

The Museo Civico (civic museum) – Palazzo Corsini in Fucecchio (Piazza Vittorio Veneto 27 – Fucecchio) houses archaeological, artistic, and natural history collections in Palazzo Corsini, built on the castle’s old walls. Notable are 18th-century frescoes by Stefano Fabbrini.

The former farm wings now house the library, historical archive, and part of the museum.

Stop 2: Palazzetto Barberini in Barberino Val d’Elsa

In the heart of Chianti, Palazzetto Barberini (via Francesco da Barberino, 17 – Barberino Val d’Elsa) is an aristocratic Renaissance-style residence built entirely from Alberese stone, nestled within the ancient walls of the village.

The residence witnessed the birth of the family of Pope Urban VIII and was the birthplace of Francesco da Barberino, author of the poetic work I Documenti d’Amore, written between 1309 and 1313.

The property became part of the Corsini estate following the marriage of Tommaso Corsini and Anna Barberini.

Stop 3: Tenuta Marsiliana

In southern Maremma, the Tenuta Marsiliana (Castello 1, Marsiliana – Grosseto) stands out amid 3,000 hectares of fields and woodland between Manciano and Capalbio.

Owned by the Corsinis since 1759, it remains an active winery. In the 2000s, a Farm Museum opened in the fortified village, showcasing 19th-century rural life.

Stop 4: Museo Archeologico e d’Arte della Maremma

Located in Grosseto (Piazza Baccarini 3), this archeological museum displays finds from the Perazzeta and Macchiabuia necropolises, as well as tomb artifacts excavated by Prince-archaeologist Tommaso Corsini between the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Corsini Itinerary in Rome

In the 1700s, the Corsinis’ influence shifted to Rome, where Cardinal Lorenzo Corsini ascended to the papacy as Clement XII in 1730. A cultured economist and great patron of the arts, he founded the Musei Capitolini and commissioned major public works during his decade-long papacy.

This 5 km walking route through the capital includes four stops.

Stop 1: Palazzo Corsini

The Galleria Nazionale Barberini Corsini (Barberini Corsini National Gallery) in Rome (via della Lungara, 10) houses the 18th-century apartments of Cardinal Neri Maria Corsini, including the famous Alcove of Christina of Sweden. Here, visitors can admire masterpieces from the vast collection, such as Saint John the Baptist by Caravaggio, Prometheus by Salvator Rosa, Saint Sebastian by Rubens, and the mysterious Corsini Throne.

The Botanical Garden, one of the largest in Italy, is located within the Corsini Park and continues the tradition of gardens rich in scientific and naturalistic significance.
 The Accademia dei Lincei, one of the oldest scientific institutions in Europe, is home to the impressive Library of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei and Corsiniana.

Stop 2: Fontana di Trevi

In 1732, Pope Clement XII launched a competition to design Fontana di Trevi (the Trevi Fountain) in Piazza di Trevi, which was to be built against the backdrop of Palazzo Poli. Architect Nicola Salvi envisioned a vast basin with a broad rocky cliff animated by naturalistic sculptures and spectacular waterfalls.

At its center, Oceanus rides a shell-shaped chariot drawn by two horses, guided by two tritons. Above, in the center, the Corsini coat of arms crowns this grand symbol of the Eternal City.

Stop 3: Palazzo della Consulta

The “Fabbrica della Sagra Consulta”, located on the Colle del Quirinale (Piazza del Quirinale 41), was built between 1732 and 1737 under the direction of Pope Clement XII, following a design by Florentine architect Ferdinando Fuga.

Originally intended to house the Sacra Consulta and the guards of the Papal States, the building now serves as the seat of the Corte Costituzionale Italiana (Italian Constitutional Court).

Stop 4: Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano

The façade of the ancient Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano (Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano), where Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first Holy Year in 1300, was rebuilt in 1735 by order of Clement XII, who entrusted the work to Alessandro Galilei, a Florentine architect.

The basilica also houses the Corsini family chapel dedicated to Saint Andrew Corsini. Nearly an independent structure within the church, it features a Greek cross plan topped with a dome, elegantly adorned with sculptures, bas-reliefs, ancient marble, stucco, and gilded bronze. On the altar is a mosaic copy of The Vision of Saint Andrew by Guido Reni, created by Fabio Cristofari.
Pope Clement XII chose to be buried in the crypt below.

Corsini Ports Itinerary from Ancona to Ravenna

This final itinerary, approximately 188 km long and best done by car, connects the port cities of Ancona and Ravenna.

Pope Clement XII also sponsored the construction of these two ports. The Port of Ancona is known for the Mole Vanvitelliana, and in the central Piazza del Plebiscito, stands a statue of the pope in a blessing pose, sculpted by Agostino Cornacchini in 1738.
Porto Corsini in Ravenna was at the time part of the Papal States and bears the Corsini name in honor of his efforts.

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