Ferdinando de' Medici commissioned Bernardo Buontalenti and Don Giovanni de’ Medici to build Forte Belvedere, a protected fort with a view of the city of Florence and beyond. The Palazzina, a small building, was there before the Fort encompassing it was built and it played the role of a panoramic terrace for the grand ducal court. The Palazzina became the fort's command centre and an armoured room was built in its basement to house the state treasure. In modern times, having lost its strategic defence function, in 1954 the Fort was at the centre of a large renovation project in order to create an attractive place offering a spectacular view of Florence and its hills. The Forte di Belvedere constitutes a monumental, historic-artistic and environmental reference point of extreme importance, and it continues to pursue its calling as an exhibition centre, dating back to the middle of the last century, by hosting top-quality events and exhibitions. Recent exhibitions of important contemporary sculpture have used the location to its best, with the terrace and the city below providing a frame for innovative contemporary works.