Palazzo del Conte

The Palazzo del Conte was built in the Middle Ages for Scarlino‘s then ruler – Ildebrandino Aldobrandeschi XII, otherwise know as “Il Conte Rosso” (the Red Count)

In 1277, Aldobrandeschi was forced to sell his beloved house to the City of Pisa, who went on to rule Scarlino.

The house then passed into the hands of a number of counts and noblemen, and even a few local religious institutions, before finally being subdivided and sold as apartments the 19th century.

Today its outer walls are covered in beautiful sandstone, while its main facade on Via Carlo Generale Citerno has been rendered in an elegant shade of cream.

Much of the structure Aldobrandeschi built has been lost, but the original entrance with its antique decorative mouldings and arches has remained and is now part of the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena.

If you walk around the right side of the building you’ll find a picturesque little courtyard adorned with a statue of a noble looking man. The statue was added in the early 19th century. I think it suits the house perfectly and reminds me a little of Aldobrandeschi himself!