Giovan Carlo's Grotto
Among the marvel’s of Cardinal Giovan Carlo’s apartments in the north wing of Palazzo Pitti is the grotto he created in the Muletto Mezzanine (mezzanine della Muletta), above the ground floor at the far end of wing, facing Boboli. The grotto consisted of three parts: one was a nymphaeum, another was a grotto, and finally there was the small room to which both of theother rooms were attached. Here, Water was the protagonist. It was a symbol of purification and catharsis. The water cascaded down the walls from high in the nymphaeum. The walls were frescoed by Pietro da Cortona, Salvator Rosa, and Jacopo Chiavistelli.
The area was largely mutilated during the construction of the Poccianti’s Stairway in the first half of the 19th century and remained hidden and out of view until very recently, when it was rediscovered by Marco Chiarini.
The area was largely mutilated during the construction of the Poccianti’s Stairway in the first half of the 19th century and remained hidden and out of view until very recently, when it was rediscovered by Marco Chiarini.