Palazzo della Carovana is a building located in Piazza dei Cavalieri. Today's structure was designed by Giorgio Vasari, who thought to incorporate the old Palazzo degli Anziani in the new building, making everything architecturally homogeneous thanks to the new facade. The name of the building derives from the fact that in ancient times, when the headquarters of the Order of the Knights of St. Stephen were located here, it was used to welcome new members during their three-year novitiate, at the end of which they would join the caravans that would defeat the corsairs in the Mediterranean. Today, the palace is home to the prestigious Scuola Normale Superiore.