The Orto Botanico was commissioned during the mid 16th Century by Cosimo I de’Medici and built to the design planned by Niccolo Tribolo. From these plans the Botanical Gardens (or Orto Botanico), was born and was the first of its kind in the world. Famous botanists, one of who, Pier Antonio Micheli, made additions in the following century, planted the gardens. Now the centre is stocked with over 6000 plants of all kinds from all over the world.