Simone del Pollaiolo

Palazzo Strozzi, built by Simone Pollaiolo.

Simone del Pollaiolo (1457–1508) is a well known Florentine architect who was commonly known as Il Cronaca (The Chronicle).

Pollaiolo was born in Florence, he had two famous brothers Antonio and Piero Benci who had the nickname Pollaiuolo or Pollaiolo (keeps a hen-house, pollaio in Italian).

Simone was later given his nickname Il Cronaca. The reason for such nickname has much to do with his art and is explained by Giorgio Vasari. Simone del Pollaiolo, in order to learn more of the architectural art, marched to Rome around 1470 to observe the old ruins. On his return to Florence he made very meticulous and reasoned stories and descriptions of his observations, which were described like a chronicle.

Pollaiolo was responsible for the completion of Strozzi Palace in 1504. He died in Florence in 1508.