As a classic Montepulciano guidebook tells us, "the De Pucci were a noble Montepulciano family - their presence in the city is recorded in documents dating back to 1080, and their rich history boasts a wealth of illustrious names in the sciences, the military, the judiciary and the church.
The family palazzo was situated in Via Tolosa, or Talosa, in the Santa Maria parish. The Santa Maria church was eventually demolished, and the city's magnificent cathedral was built on the site, but Via Talosa and the beautiful Palazzo Pucci are still with us to this day."
Following the Council of Trent (1545-1563) the building was designated for use as an Episcopal Seminary. Since then it has had several owners, including the eminent Bellarmini family (San Roberto Bellarmini, a Jesuit Cardinal who also went by the name Bellarmino, was a bitter opponent of Galileo Galilei), and the Ricci family.
The palazzo eventually fell into neglect, until it was bought by Professor Attilio Caroti in 1949. He began restoration work, and made it the seat of the prestigious Italian School of Mosaics.
In the 1980s a completely renovated part of the building was opened to guests as a hotel, the Meublé IL RICCIO, run with love and care by Giorgio and Ivana Caroti.
Every inch of the building is imbued with a deep sense of its illustrious history, especially the impressive entrance courtyard, paved in brick, with its graceful arches on two sides supported by Tuscan travertine columns, and the upper gallery with its elegant Ionic columns.
The history of these walls has remained intact over the centuries, and today guests can appreciate all their charm and magic in a peaceful and tranquil environment.