MUSEO DEGLI INNOCENTI

Created in 1419 to heal and raise orphaned or abandoned children, this hospital was founded in the Republic's time by the rich entrepreneurs of the wool corporation. Designed by Brunelleschi, it was an ambitious project for the time, embodying the values of the Renaissance and humanism. A special place in the history of Florence. The first institution of its kind in Europe, it is now an example of harmonious and rational architecture, designed for care and rest.

On the left side of the portico, located in Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, there is an inscription on the small closed window, decorated with two little loves. This reminds us of the so-called "wheel" that worked until 1875, when mothers abandoned newborns they did not want, or children they could not raise. Even today, the name of the Innocents, in every sense of the word, refers to this origin. From the pretty central vestibule, one can access the lodge above the portico (formerly the children's living room). Between the arcades are the ceramic medallions of Luca della Robbia, representing swaddled children: it is the symbol of the hospital.

The Musée des Innocents (museo degli Innocenti, also known as "MUDI"), reopened in 2016 after major works, presents works of art acquired over the centuries through bequests or donations; most of them, however, were scattered during the 19th century. The remaining works, such as those of Luca della Robbia, Sandro Botticelli, or Piero di Cosimo, deserve such a museum. You can also admire the beautiful Adoration of the Shepherds by Domenico Ghirlandaio, master of Michelangelo (1488), on which the artist represented, as usual, a series of historical portraits among the crowd surrounding the children, such as merchants of the Arte della Seta, housemen and benefactors of the hospital. But this museum, beyond its works of art, prevails for its moving approach to the history of this orphanage, notably through moving testimonies of abandoned children, or objects left by parents during abandonment in the hope of recognizing children later on. It is not impossible to shed a tear...

To recover from your emotions, the opening of the new musée des Innocents has been accompanied by a cafeteria that offers breathtaking views of Florence. Il Caffè del Verone is accessible to all. A spectacular panorama not to be missed during your visit!