The hall that leads from the Uffizi Gallery to the Pitti Palace in Florence is called the Corridoio Vasariano. The building is named after its architect, Vasari. It was built in 1565 and has a length of more than one kilometre. A large part of the hall runs over the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge.
Corridoio Vasariano Florence
Address, opening hours and entrance fee
Address: Corridoio Vasariano – 50123 Florence, Italy. Telephone: +39 055294883. Reservation is required. Only a certain number of visitors may enter at the same time. Admission: 6 Euro.
History Corridoio Vasariano Florence
The Corridoio Vasariano (“Vasari Hall”) was built in 1565. It was commissioned by the Tuscan Grand Duke Cosimo I on the occasion of the marriage of his son Francesco with Johanna of Austria.
The architect was Giorgio Vasari, who also built the Uffizi. The corridor is more than a kilometre long. It connects some of the city’s most important buildings, such as Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti and Galleria degli Uffizi.
The most picturesque part of the Corridoio Vasari runs over Ponte Vecchio, Florence‘s most famous bridge.
The corridor is especially interesting because it is largely located a little above street level. In this way, the Grand Dukes were able to move quickly and safely from their private residences to the government buildings. A second motive for the construction is that it provided the Medici with an opportunity to show off the family’s wealth and power.
The Corridoio Vasari was last restored in 1973. The collection consists of more than 700 paintings, all from the 17th and 18th century. The highlight is the collection of self-portraits by the most famous painters from the 16th century to the present day. Famous names include Rubens, Bernini, Canova and Annibale Carracci.
Cardinal Leopoldo de’ Medici was the first to start the collection. From the 17th century onwards more and more works have been added.
An additional attraction is the beautiful panorama that can be enjoyed from the hall.