Purchased in 1593 by Pier Francesco de’ Medici, under Cosimo I it was the seat of the commanders of the Order of Santo Stefano. Grand Duke Ferdinando II de’ Medici later granted it to Eleonora Ramirez di Montalvo who, from 1650, dedicated it as a countryside retreat for the Congregation she founded, the Montalve, aimed at the education of noble girls. In 1724 Anna Maria Luisa, the last descendant of the Medici family, moved to La Quiete and endowed the villa with an Italian-style garden, for which she consulted Sebastiano Rapi, gardener of Boboli.
On the ground floor of the Conservatory is a historic pharmacy. It is uncertain whether it was built at the same time as the Institute’s foundation or later, although some objects, belonging to its equipment and dated to the late 17th century, suggest activity from that period.
It ceased operation with the suppression of the Institute during the Napoleonic era. The furniture, consisting of a series of cabinets with glass doors and a counter with a marble top, is characterized by the simplicity of the ensemble with very few decorative elements. Of interest is the ceramic and glassware collection that evidences the activity carried out between the late 17th century and early 19th century: it consists of some round jars with stoppers, albarelli, white ceramic jars, urn-shaped vases, and other vessels made in Doccia.
Today it is the seat of the Center for Foreign Culture affiliated with the University of Florence.
