Landscape of Florence

Facts about the Vasari Corridor in Florence

1- The purpose of the construction of the Corridor for the Medici was having the chance move safely from Palazzo Pitti to Palazzo Vecchio, which was the seat of government, observing the people below while remaining unnoticed.

2- Right halfway over the Ponte Vecchio, Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator during WWII, back in 1939 ordered that the Corridor’s small windows had to be enlarged in order to admire better the great view over the Arno.

3- The windows were to be ready for Adolf Hitler’s official visit to Florence, and he was so impressed by this magnificent panorama over the Ponte Vecchio bridge that he ordered not to bomb it when Germans began their retreat from Florence. It was the only bridge that hadn’t been destroyed.

4- Having crossed the Arno river, you have a unique view of the Church of Santa Felicita. As you walk toward the Pitti Palace, on the left side there is a large window which nowadays is covered with a grate onto the balcony that looks directly into the church. That’s where the De’ Medici family attended the Holy Mass,having a strategical as well privileged point of view in order to be safe and far from the crowd.

5- The corridor has the name Vasari since it was named after its architect.

6- The corridor was commissioned in 1565 by Cosimo de’ Medici to celebrate the marriage of his son Francesco I to Joanna of Austria.

7- The works started in March 1565, and were done in just 5 months, perfectly on time for the wedding which was celebrated on December 16th.

8- The corridor wasn’t crossed only by walk, but there was also a small carriage for just two passengers at time that took the De’ Medici back and forth.