It was built by Giorgio Vasari for Cosimo I de' Medici, to house the administrative and legal offices (uffizi in ancient Italian) of Florence.
The building of the Uffizi complex was begun by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 for Cosimo I de' Medici so as to accommodate the offices of the Florentine magistrates, hence the name uffizi, "offices". The construction was later continued by Alfonso Parigi and Bernardo Buontalenti; it was completed in 1581.
