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Planned from the outset of the competition that would lead to the construction of the new Firenze Santa Maria Novella station, the Royal Pavilion was inaugurated in October 1935. The design of the area reserved for the royal family is attributed to Giovanni Michelucci, coordinator of the Gruppo Toscano, the collective of architects that won the competition.
The interiors are characterized by red Levanto marble floors and walnut and olive wood parquet, and are enriched with artistic furniture details, such as the bas-reliefs by sculptors Mario Moschi and Giannetto Mannucci, the throne wall with blue and gold mosaic tiles, rosewood furniture, and Murano glass wall sconces. A notable feature is the marble group "The Arno and its Valley" by sculptor Italo Griselli, which dominates the exedra—a space designed for the maneuvering of cars arriving at the Pavilion. During the years when the works were completed, the complex was located between the old city and the beginning of the countryside, offering both a city and rural view.