The building of the Uffizi complex was begun by
Giorgio Vasari in 1560 for
Cosimo I de' Medici as a means to consolidate his administrative control of the various committees, agencies, and guilds established in Florence's Republican past so as to accommodate them all in one place, hence the name , "offices". The construction was later continued by
Alfonso Parigi and
Bernardo Buontalenti; it was completed in 1581. The top floor was made into a gallery for the family and their guests and included their collection of Roman sculptures. The
cortile (internal courtyard) is so long, narrow, and open to the
Arno at its far end through a
Doric screen that articulates the space without blocking it, that architectural historians treat it as the first regularized streetscape of Europe. Vasari, a painter, and architect as well, emphasized its
perspective length by adorning it with the matching facades' continuous roof cornices, and unbroken cornices between storeys, as well as the three continuous steps on which the museum fronts stand. The niches in the
piers that alternate with columns of the
Loggiato were filled with sculptures of famous artists in the 19th century. The Uffizi brought together under one roof the administrative offices and the Archivio di Stato, the state archive. The project was intended to display prime artworks of the Medici collections on the
piano nobile; the plan was carried out by his son, Grand Duke
Francesco I. He commissioned the architect Buontalenti to design the
Tribuna degli Uffizi that would display a series of masterpieces in one room, including jewels; it became a highly influential attraction of a
Grand Tour. The octagonal room was completed in 1584. Over the years, more sections of the building were recruited to exhibit paintings and sculptures collected or commissioned by the
Medici. For many years, 45 to 50 rooms were used to display paintings from the 13th to 18th century. ==Modern times==