The Palazzone of Cortona is an intriguing Renaissance structure donated to the Scuola Normale Superiore by its previous owner. The building clearly showcases the style of the era and houses valuable architectural works.
The villa was built in the early decades of the sixteenth century with a distinctly Renaissance vision. The architectural design was entrusted to Giovan Battista Caporali, who worked between Umbria and Tuscany. A disciple of Perugino, he was influenced by other artists of the time.
The exterior of the Palazzone is dominated by a spacious courtyard, enriched by a central well as was customary of the time. To beautify the villa’s exterior, there is also a large portico, and the surrounding garden is a classic Italian-style garden.
One architectural feature that stands out is the lateral tower, topped with crenellations. Inside, the space is dominated by numerous artistic works created by illustrious names.
The Salone del Papacello is the most important room in the Palazzone and displays a series of frescoes illustrating the history of Rome. Among other works by Caporali, the frescoes by Luca Signorelli stand out, including the Baptism of Christ, which was left unfinished due to the artist’s death.
How to Reach the Palazzone from the City Center
The Palazzone is a historic location in Cortona and can be reached easily from Piazza della Repubblica in the city center. Here are the directions:
- Start at Piazza della Repubblica in the center of Cortona.
- Head southeast along Via Nazionale until you reach the intersection with Via Ghibellina.
- Turn right and follow the road signs towards Le Contesse.
- Continue straight until you reach the Palazzone. The total distance is approximately 2 km, and the walk should take around 25 minutes.
For those traveling by car, parking is available near the Palazzone. Please note that the roads are narrow, and driving may require some caution.
Below are the coordinates for the navigator:
43.266815,12.000972
Map
Two useful links from Google Maps to have:
- the first, with the route from the center of Cortona to the Palazzone and,
- the second, with the route from Valdichiana motorway toll booth at the Palazzone,
Useful Information
The Palazzone of the Scuola Normale Superiore in Cortona (hereinafter, for convenience, only referred as the acronym SNS) is a building from the Sixteenth Century, of historical, cultural and artistic importance and, as such, both the property and all its appurtenances, and the antique furnishings present inside are subject to the protection of the Soprintendenza del Ministero dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali e del Turismo.
- IMPORTANT: on Sunday, arrival day, the building is open in the areas concerned, from 2:30 p.m., only for the reception service, for those who stay overnight in the structure.
- The Secretariat office will be open, on the Sunday in which arrivals take place, at 2:30 p.m., and will close, in any case, by 8:00 p.m.
Those who will be lodged at the Palazzone, upon their arrival, will have to complete some mandatory formalities, essential for registration.
- The Palazzone, in all its spaces and rooms, opens from Monday to Thursday at 8:30 a.m. and closes at 7:30 p.m. On Fridays, the property closes after lunch, at 3:00 p.m.
- There are two railway stations closest to the Palazzone:
- Terontola di Cortona and Camucia di Cortona and the latter is the closest to the building: you will arrive at the complex on foot after about an hour and with a taxi, however, in 15 minutes about.
IMPORTANT: Please note that there are only 2 official taxi drivers and a limited number of NCC (Chauffeur-driven rental services) in Cortona. It is therefore essential to book your ride well in advance—both for your arrival in Cortona and a few days before your departure—by informing the Palazzone Secretariat ahead of time.- Current taxi/NCC rates:
- From Terontola station to Palazzone (or vice versa): €25.00
- From Camucia station to Palazzone (or vice versa): €20.00
DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that the situation regarding local taxi and NCC services has recently changed compared to the information previously provided.
Below are some names and contact details of taxi and NCC (chauffeur service) operators in Cortona:
TAXI
RENT WITH DRIVER
| ADREANI Enzo: +39 335 819 6313 | SEMBOLINI Gian Enrico: +39 338 533 1155 |
| BELLERI Enzo: +39 335 335 394 | VINCIARELLI Enzo: +39 335 605 0186 |
| CALERI Albino: +39 347 495 7658 | VALVARITO Vito: +39 339 377 4976 |
| NAKA Ylli: +39 328 544 3970 | OLIVI Francesco: +39 391 423 9606 |
| CALZINI Francesco: +39 345 055 9815 | BRACCINI Costantino: +39 047 531 9036 |
| PELUCCHINI Luca: +39 339 482 1491 | SALIJEVIC Saban: +39 338 287 7210 |
| BASSETTI Barbara: +39 366 399 3878 | PRVULOVIC Dejan: +39 348 402 3501 |
| PRVULOVIC Miki: +39 338 931 7508 |
Important Notice: We would like to inform you of a significant issue regarding the taxi/NCC service in Cortona, which has caused serious difficulties for arrivals and departures during previous conferences.
Recently, new regulations on taxi services have come into force in Cortona. Now, availability for taxi services on a given day (to or from Cortona) must be verified by contacting the “Unified Taxi Number” at +39 0575 087542. This line rotates between three taxi drivers, so availability depends on whether one is free at your required time—which unfortunately happens rarely.
Furthermore, according to these new directives, NCC drivers are permitted to carry out short-distance transfers only in emergencies and only if no taxis are available. These rides must occur with at least a 30-minute interval between each trip, and only if the call is made on the same day. Even in such cases, fulfilling the request depends entirely on the driver's personal discretion.
Public Transportation from the Camucia/Terontola Railway Stations
It is possible to take the Autolinee Toscane (AT) Bus SU4 from Camucia/Terontola railway stations to Cortona (click on the link for the timetable) or the Tiemme SPA SU5 from the Camucia/Terontola railway stations to Cortona (click on the link for the timetable).
For the Autolinee Toscane (SU4) there is an available app to purchase the tickets:
It is also possible to purchase tickets directly on the bus with a contactless system called "tip tap" through the following machines:
For the Tiemme SPA (SU5) is it possible to buy the ticket online at this website (Please note that the interface is in Italian and requires departure station, arrival station, date and time of departure, the "tariffa" fare to select is the first one in the drop-down menu "BIGLIETTO C.S. BUS" €1.70). Otherwise, it is possible to purchase the ticket once on board, before departure at a higher price.
The following PDFs contain useful information that can be downloaded and accessed offline.
