Florence

Vasari Corridor in Florence

The Corridoio Vasariano is a world-famous gallery between the Palazzo Vecchio and the Palazzo Pitti in the center of the historical part of Florence (Firenze).

History of construction

A 750-meter-long gallery appeared at the behest of the Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I of Medici in 1565. The purpose of the construction was to connect the house on the west bank of the river, where the Medici family lived, with the Palazzo Vecchio, in which the Toscana government was located, by secret passage. In such a secret passage one could move without leaving the city. The construction was timed to the day of marriage between the son of Cosimo I - Francesco I Medici - and John of Austria from the Habsburg dynasty. Therefore, the construction was carried out in a short time: A gallery designed by Giorgio Vasari was built in 5 months.

In the Vasari corridor, original construction techniques were used:

  • Part of the corridor runs wall to wall with the Church of Santa Felicita, a balcony window was made there so that Cosimo I was present at the service, not visible to church visitors;
  • The most famous section of the gallery is located on the Ponte Vecchio bridge (Ponte Vecchio) and striking with panoramic windows, from which you can see the Arno River to the very bridge Ponte Santa Trinita Ponte Santa Trinita);
  • During the construction, jewelers' shops appeared on the Ponte Vecchio bridge instead of shops selling fish and meat products, so that unpleasant smells and paintings did not irritate senior officials.

The secret passage of the Medici family

The corridor consists of several segments:

  1. From the chapel of Eleanor of Toledo to the Palazzo Vecchio in the "Hall of Five" (Salone dei Cinquecento), decorated by decree of Savonarola and turned into a room for ceremonies at the behest of Cosimo Medici;
  2. Passage with busts and portraits of representatives of the Medici clan in the Uffizi;
  3. The gallery section, which is now accessible only to organized groups according to a special schedule and is easily recognizable by round windows with bars outside, stretches along the promenade to the Ponte Vecchio bridge - here is a unique collection of this storehouse;
  4. The corridor above the residential and commercial premises of the bridge over Arno;
  5. Crossings over residential buildings on the west bank of Arno and along the church of Santa Felicita, and from there to the Palazzo Pitti;
  6. Go to the Boboli Gardens (Giardino diBoboli), decorated with fountains, grottoes, sculptural compositions.

The Vasari corridor in Florence was repeatedly restored, but the appearance was practically unchanged. Changes were made only a few times:

  • in 1939 the area of ​​windows was increased by order of Benito Mussolini;
  • in 2013, a department dedicated to self-portraits of 21st century artists appeared at the end of the covered corridor.

Now the Vasari Gallery is part of the Uffizi Museum.

Gallery Treasures

In the Vasari Gallery canvases of 16-17 centuries are stored. famous artists of Rome (Roma) and Naples (Napoli). A special part of the collection is self-portraits of painters from Italy and other countries of the 16-20 centuries:

  • Giorgio Vasari;
  • Rafael Santi;
  • Peter Paul Rubens;
  • Diego Velazquez;
  • Orest Kiprensky;
  • Boris Kustodiev;
  • Ivan Aivazovsky;
  • Marc Chagall et al.

The collection of self-portraits is constantly growing: artists consider it an honor to present a self-portrait to the Vasari Gallery.

The Vasari Gallery presents a collection of about one and a half thousand self-portraits and 700 other paintings. The uniqueness of the collection is that, with rare exceptions, the originals are preserved here, giving a complete picture of the work of the master.

The Vasari corridor presents another page in the history of the development of art: there are paintings damaged by the explosion at the Uffizi Gallery in May 1993. Fragments of paintings cut by fragments glued onto black tablets acquired a symbolic significance and it was decided not to be restored.

How to get

The exhibition, housed in the Vasari Gallery, is of particular value, but due to the events of 1993, the entrance to the museum is limited. Until 2016, the corridor was open for tourists only a few days a year, during national celebrations.

In February 2019, the Florence administration announced a preliminary date for the opening of the Vasari corridor for tourists - not earlier than 2021!

According to the new plan, the entire Vasari Corridor will become accessible to all and will be part of a route designed for patency of 500 thousand tourists annually.

Actual: until the end of 2021 group excursions along the Vasari Corridor are not planned - you cannot get inside, the collection is redistributed to the Uffizi Gallery and other palaces. Perhaps special excursions will be organized upon request, you can see all excursions in Florence and make an order here. Whether the Corridor will be opened exactly in 2021 or 10 years later is unknown. We will keep you posted.

How to get there

There are several ways to reach the Vasari Corridor in Florence:

  • walk from the train station;
  • by buses D, C1 and C3;
  • by taxi.

The Vasari corridor in Florence allows you to plunge into the world of art and experience the atmosphere of the ancient city and its legendary inhabitants.

Watch the video: The Vasari Corridor: The World's Least Secret Secret Passageway (November 2024).

Popular Posts

Category Florence, Next Article

Adriano Celentano
Famous Italians and Italians

Adriano Celentano

The creative career of the world famous Italian Adriano Celentano is rich and diverse. In a talented idol of women, a charismatic appearance is combined with an expressive character. The singer’s low, hoarse voice is complemented by the actor’s ability to give a unique characterization of any role played.
Read More
Luciano Pavarotti - the great Italian tenor
Famous Italians and Italians

Luciano Pavarotti - the great Italian tenor

Luciano Pavarotti (Luciano Pavarotti) - a world famous celebrity, opera singer of Italy with exceptional hearing and a wide range of voice. A participant in the Three Tenors project, performed on stage for more than 40 years, gave master classes at several conservatories around the world. Biography Luciano Pavarotti was born on October 12, 1935 in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna (Emilia-Romagna), in Modena (Modena).
Read More
Giorgio Armani
Famous Italians and Italians

Giorgio Armani

It has long been known that the demand for any brand is determined by the number of its fakes. Not a real brand Armani is very difficult to distinguish from the real one, so they learned how to fake it. People like to wear the clothes of this Fashion House, to use perfumes and accessories. The presence of a person with a label Armani indicates his good taste, style and success.
Read More
Tinto Brass - Italian director of erotic films
Famous Italians and Italians

Tinto Brass - Italian director of erotic films

Giovanni Brass (Giovanni Brass) - director of films from Italy, most of his famous paintings are presented in the genre of erotic films. Biography Tinto (Tinto) - the middle name of the future director, which he wore from birth. Family Giovanni was born March 26, 1933 in the north of the country, in Milan (Milan). His grandfather was engaged in painting, with pleasure teaching his grandson the basics of creativity and always providing the boy with an easel and paint for drawing.
Read More