Florence: A historic Renaissance-era passageway that links Florence’s Uffizi Galleries to the Palazzo Pitti, once home to the powerful Medici family, is set to reopen to the public on Saturday. The Vasari Corridor, named after its architect Giorgio Vasari, offers spectacular views of the Italian city and has long been an architectural and historical gem.
The passageway stretches through central Florence, crossing the Arno River via the iconic Ponte Vecchio bridge, one of the city’s most famous landmarks. Managed by the Uffizi Galleries, which oversaw an 11-million-euro ($11.5 million) restoration project, the corridor is described as an “air tunnel” hovering over the heart of the city. The restoration included significant safety upgrades, ensuring a secure experience for visitors.
The Vasari Corridor, built by 16th-century architect Giorgio Vasari, will reopen to the public after eight years of restoration. The Renaissance-era passageway connects Florence’s Uffizi Galleries to the Medici’s former residence Palazzo Pitti https://t.co/yUFJxWOhI7 pic.twitter.com/Ip5Ae5vIuz
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 21, 2024
Simone Verde, head of the Uffizi Galleries, emphasized the significance of this reopening, stating, “The reopening is extremely important for us because… it is about returning to the public one of the most famous and fabled monuments of the Renaissance.”
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Originally built in 1565, the corridor allowed Florence’s rulers to move freely between their residence at Palazzo Pitti and the Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of government, passing through the Uffizi Galleries along the way. After closing in 2016 for renovations, the passageway will now be accessible to groups of up to 25 people at a time. Visitors can walk from the Uffizi Galleries to the Boboli Gardens at Palazzo Pitti, crossing the Arno from the right bank to the left.
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In recent decades, the walls of the corridor were lined with a vast collection of self-portraits. However, the newly restored passageway now features bare walls, revealing the corridor as it appeared five centuries ago. Tickets for a combined visit to the corridor and the Uffizi Galleries—home to masterpieces by artists such as Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian, and Botticelli—must be booked in advance. The price for the combined visit is 43 euros ($44.60).
