A concealed passageway constructed 500 years ago to facilitate the Medici family’s unhindered travel through Florence is set to reopen to the public following a €10 million restoration.
The Vasari Corridor, which stretches over 700 meters and runs above the iconic Ponte Vecchio, has been closed for the past eight years.
Commissioned by Duke Cosimo I in 1565 to commemorate his son’s wedding, the corridor was designed by Giorgio Vasari and begins at what is now the Uffizi Galleries, ending at the Pitti Palace on the other side of the Arno river.
It boasts 73 windows that provide unmatched views of the city center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which will soon be open to all visitors.
The Grotta Buontalenti where the Vasari Corridor begins
“Now returned to its original simplicity, the corridor presents itself to visitors as a straightforward ‘aerial tunnel’,” stated the Uffizi in an announcement.
It traverses above the city’s core, “just as it was when the Florentine rulers utilized it for quick, secure, and uninterrupted passage between their residence and the center of governance.”
The restoration, which commenced in 2022, includes enhancements such as new wheelchair access, emergency exits, restrooms, energy-efficient LED lighting, and video surveillance.
“After an eight-year wait, the reopening of the Vasari Corridor brings a masterpiece back to Florence and Italy,” expressed Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli.
