Palazzo della Carovana (The Convoy Palace), Pisa

The Palazzo della Carovana stands on Knight’s Square and is the home of the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa. Built on the site of the former Palazzo degli Anziana in 1564 by Giorgio Vasari, it was commissioned by the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen. Its name “la Carovana” or “the Convoy” refers to the three year training period undertaken by members of the Order. The Knights of Saint Stephen were an order founded by Cosimo de Medici in 1561 to fight Ottoman pirates who roamed the Mediterranean. The order was abolished in 1859.

The palace’s façade is ornately decorated with sgraffiti that represent the signs of the zodiac and allegorical figures from mythology. The originals were sculpted by del Verrocchio and Forzori from designs by Vasari. They were renovated and renewed in the early 20th century. The sculptures include the Medici coat of arms and those of the Order. The statues representing Justice and Religion were executed by Lorenzi in 1563. On the upper gallery of the palace you will see various busts of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. These were sculpted by Foggini, Sirigatti and Tacca and added in the early 18th century. The back of the palace was rebuilt in 1930 to house the expanding school.