For most locals Piazza Santissima Annunziata is one of the prettiest squares in Florence and it has been a symbol of social commitment in town for centuries. For me the square is a bit special since I lived here for a short while. Most tourists don’t get a chance to appreciate this area though it’s just a few steps away from the Cathedral, but I believe it’s one of the most fascinating parts of Florence.
We will visit the Piazza SS. Annunziata where Ferdinando I sits on his horse in the middle of the square and enter the church SS. Annunziata which is still today the most important shrine in Florence thanks to the miraculous painting of Mother Mary. For those who instead are more devoted to art you will be absorbed by the incredible fresco cycle by Andrea del Sarto, Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino from the 16th century in the courtyard and the overwhelming barock decoration inside the Basilica.
What few people know is that there is a secret passage between the church and the nearby building, what once was a cloister and today part of the Archeological Museum of Florence. The corridor was built by Cosimo II for his disabled sister, Maria Maddalena, who lived as a nun in the cloister. Thanks to this walkway she could go to church and attend mass from a hidden window without being seen.
Innocenti – learn more about this emblematic institution
One of the unique institutions of Florence is the Orphanage “Innocenti”, designed by Brunelleschi in the early years of the 15th century. The foundling hospital was the first one in Europe and commissioned by the important Guild of Silk Weavers. Apart from the beautiful and classical Renaissance architecture the building is also famous for the sweet medallions featuring swaddled babies on the top part of the façade.
We visit the Orphanage which today has been transformed into a museum and we will see how Florence from the Renaissance and on faced the problem of abandoned children. I’ll show you the revolving door used by mothers who wanted to drop their unwanted babies and we’ll learn about the life inside the foundling hospital.
The social aspect has always been a primary issue for Florence. Still today the square SS. Annunziata is a meeting place for locals and is used for concerts and markets. It also houses the Archaeological museum.
