Florence, the Vasari Corridor will reopen by the end of the year

After years of waiting, it finally seems that the Vasari Corridor, one of the most fascinating symbols of Florentine history, may reopen to the public, and may do so by the end of this year. At least that is what the director of the Uffizi Galleries, Simone Verde, announced in recent days during a meeting with the foreign press in which the director anticipated that the Vasarian Corridor will open fully as early as 2024, with the first section to be accessible by late autumn.

There is reason to hope that this time the date will be respected, because there have been too many false starts so far: years ago it was even thought that the Corridor might reopen in 2020, then the opening was postponed to 2021, later the pandemic curbed all enthusiasm, and only last October it was even given for practically certain a precise day, that of May 27, 2024, as the day of the inauguration. On May 27, however, the Corridor was still a construction site in turmoil: so we will see if it will be possible to travel it in the fall.

This elevated passage, designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1565, is an extraordinary work of the Renaissance and a testament to the power and ingenuity of the Medici family. Built at the request of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I de’ Medici, on the occasion of the wedding of his son Francis I and Joan of Austria, the Vasari Corridor connects Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti, crossing the Uffizi Gallery and the Ponte Vecchio. Its construction, which took only five months, was an extraordinary architectural feat for the time. The goal was to ensure a safe and private passage for the Medici family, allowing them to move unseen between their residences and the centers of political power.

The corridor stretches 960 meters and offers unique panoramic views of the city of Florence. The passageway has seen centuries of history and hosted many illustrious members of the dynasty, bearing witness to crucial moments in Florentine history. Now, after a long period of restoration, security adaptations and a rearrangement (in fact, this passage previously housed the collection of self-portraits that is now displayed in the galleries instead), the Vasarian Corridor is finally ready to welcome visitors. The interventions will allow visitors a new experience, an additional opportunity to explore a lesser-known side of Florence. Obviously, all the modalities of the visit will have to be studied as well as ticket prices, an issue that caused controversy when former director Schmidt proposed a fee of 45 euros to walk through the Corridor. There will obviously be a way to address these issues.

Florence, the Vasari Corridor will reopen by the end of the year

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