Palazzo alla Giornata, lungarno Pacinotti

Particolari facciata - Palazzo Lanfreducci detto ‘Alla Giornata’ (G. Bettini, Comune di Pisa)

'Alla giornata' ('One day at a time'), the legends of the Lanfreducci motto: in 1594 Francesco Lanfreducci, a knight of Malta, was at sea for a trade journey and was captured by pirate ships and taken to Algiers, where he was imprisoned. He was forced to work by grinding wheat with his bare hands. Once freed, he returned to Pisa and on the banks of the river he mirrored the most beautiful palace ever built and there he placed his sad memory: To the Day of raw pain. And the Arno was sweet (Gabriele D'Annunzio). Another legend sees him prisoner of the ruler of Algiers, who realizing his talents, wanted him as an adviser. A mutual trust was created between the two, so much so that Francesco asked the sovereign to be able to return to his homeland. I will free you when you will eat, exhausted, fat or lean meat on Fridays too! This was the reply of the monarch who tried to convince Francesco to abandon his Christian faith. On a Friday in December, Francesco went before the sovereign with a camel leg in his mouth. The ruler rejoiced and freed him. As soon as he arrived in his Pisan palace, he had the following words written on the doorway: Alla Giornata (One day at a time) in memory of that day when he ate meat on Friday. Francesco did not give up his faith, since that Friday was Christmas, the only time when fasting may not be observed.

The damaged windowsills: Looking at the four windowsills, you will notice numerous cracks and alterations. According to the Nunciature Court of Florence, on 28 November 1611 in Florence a scion of the Lanfreducci family, a certain Francesco (the Younger), deliberately killed count Giorgio Bentivoglio, nephew of Bianca Cappello, due to an excess of jealousy towards a beautiful Portuguese woman. As a punishment, Francesco was sentenced to deface the façade of his own building, shattering the four windowsills on the first floor.