Among the previous residents of the Palazzo was Professor Augusto Alfani, ( 1844-1923), a distinguished Philologist and educator. He was the founder of the "Review of Public Education" (1872), and author of stories and dialogues for children.

He was a member of the “Accademia della Crusca” from 1885 and became its Secretary in 1889.

In 1914, he was partly responsible for the compilation of a Standard Italian Language Dictionary.

His son, Father Guido Alfani, a Scolopian, was Director of the famous Seismological Observatory Ximeniano in Florence from 1905 to 1940.

He was responsible for much pioneering work in Seismology, Meteorology and Astronomy. In the early 1900’s he set up a Geodynamics laboratory in the basement of the Convent of San Giovannino, which became one of the most famous in Italy and in Europe. He also set up a Radio and Telegraph Station for receiving signals and meteological bulletins from Paris. Among his admires was Guglielmo Marconi, who visited him in 1913.

Useful Link: Osservatorio Ximeniano