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15 August 2025

The fascinating history of the Palazzo dell’Arte dei Mercatanti or Calimala

Just steps from the Duomo, right in Piazza Signoria, stands the Palazzo dell’Arte dei Mercatanti (or Calimala).
The building was the headquarters of the city’s richest and most powerful guild, the Arte dei Mercatanti. In the Middle Ages, this palace was not only a place of trade and commerce, but also the nerve center of Florentine political and social life. The guild was synonymous with commerce, ambition, and innovation. The merchants, with their ingenuity and resourcefulness, helped shape the face of one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

The history and characteristics of the building:

The building, located on the corner of Via Porta Rossa, is known as the “Canto del Diamante” (diamond corner). Since the end of the 13th century, a spezieria (an ancient pharmacy) was located here, and it is said that Dante Alighieri himself was a frequent visitor. The palace extends to Via Calimaruzza, where you can still see the emblem of the Arte dei Mercatanti (or Calimala): an eagle holding a bundle of wool in its talons. The lilies in the background of the emblem, while reminiscent of Florence’s symbols, were actually a tribute to France, the main supplier of the fine cloths, known as panni francesi, that the guild traded.

The palace has undergone several modifications over the centuries. For example, the first-floor balcony was added in the mid-18th century. The building’s more recent history is when it was purchased by Reale Mutua Assicurazioni, which remained there until 2021. That year, a new company acquired the property and converted it into apartments for tourist rentals, some of which are now partially managed by Newtopique.

L'acquila dell'Arte dei Mercatanti
Ingresso del Palazzo prima della ristrutturazione del 2022
Ingresso del Palazzo prima della ristrutturazione del 2022
Ingresso del Palazzo prima della ristrutturazione del 2022
Dopo la ristrutturazione del Palazzo
Dopo la ristrutturazione del Palazzo

The Art of Merchants and its artistic and political influence

The Florentine guilds were secular associations founded to defend and pursue the common interests of a specific professional category.

They were divided into Major Guilds and Minor Guilds, depending on their social importance. The seven oldest and most significant guilds, the Major Guilds, were formed in the second half of the 12th century, starting with the first and most influential of all: the Calimala Guild. Each guild had its own identity, defined by statutes that regulated its operations and governing bodies.

The members of these guilds were the forerunners of modern entrepreneurs, with a dense network of trade relationships throughout Europe and North Africa. In addition to importing goods, they also brought new knowledge and artistic beauty to Florence. The affiliates of the Calimala Guild, in particular, purchased not only textiles but also precious goods like pearls, coral, gold, silver, and silk.

Palazzo Mercatanti visto dal Biancone in Piazza Signoria

Goods would arrive in Florence from the ports of Marseille, Genoa, or Pisa, transported on the backs of mules. Here, they were processed and transformed into the highest quality textiles before being resold. Much like large companies today, the Calimala Guild relied on exclusive collaborators to guarantee the excellence of the final product. If an item was found to be defective, the buyer had the right to a refund. To measure the textiles, in the absence of a meter, they used the “canna di Calimala,” a specific unit of measurement that allowed them to meet precise customer orders.

By the mid-13th century, even though the Calimala Guild was still the most powerful, a more structured system emerged. Each guild organized itself with its own statute, a representative called a “gonfalone,” a specific emblem, a headquarters, and a patron saint.

Specifically, the Arte dei Mercatanti (or Calimala) was devoted to Saint John the Baptist. Because the Baptistery was dedicated to him, the guild commissioned one of Florence’s most celebrated masterpieces: Lorenzo Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise.

The headquarters of the city’s most important guild was in Piazza della Signoria, the center of Florentine political power. The building can be admired from behind the Biancone, the monumental marble fountain depicting Neptune, and it’s where the Newtopique’s apartments, Dianora, Dafne, and Dora, are located.

Are you ready to experience the history of Florence from the inside, staying in a palace that has witnessed centuries of grandeur?

Book now