History of the Uffizi Museum in Florence

The Uffizi and the Medici a long and fascinating history that forever binds one of the most important museums in the world to the Medici dynasty. The Medici were the family that for some centuries ruled Florence making it one of the richest cities in art and undisputed beauty.

The history of the Uffizi is linked to the figure of one of the greatest exponents of the Medici family, Cosimo I, the second and last Duke of Florence, who came to power in 1537. Cosimo took up residence in Palazzo Vecchio and from that moment began his policy of exalting the his figure of "monarch" in the context of the city of Florence. It was in 1560 that Cosimo decided to unite the 13 Florentine magistracies in a single seat under his strict supervision, a few steps from the government headquarters of Palazzo Vecchio. He then instructed Giorgio Vasari to build a large palace between the Palazzo della Signoria and the embankment of the Arno river that could accommodate all the administrative offices of Florence (hence the name of Uffizi) previously located in various locations. The palace would thus have guaranteed to centralize the control of the administration of Florence in the hands of the Medici lordship, at the same time enhancing its prestige and undisputed power.

The Uffizi Palace was built between 1560 and 1580.

Vasari had first to solve the problem of the limited space he had available to place the palace in that narrow area. Vasari thus decided to build a tall building in the shape of an elongated U, obtaining two exceptional results at the same time: solving the problem of limited space and obtaining a scenographic effect of great impact.