The Uffizi Galleries has announced a 50 million euro masterplan to restore the sculptures and fountains in the Boboli Gardens as well as adding new amenities for visitors over the next eight years.
“Global warming is causing problems for the most important historic garden in Europe, calling for swift and decisive action to protect our heritage now and for future generations,” remarked Eike Schmidt, director of the Uffizi Galleries, which manages the Boboli Gardens.“This extraordinary challenge also provides an opportunity to use methods we’ve never tried before, taking advantage of recently developed sustainable technology…Every year, amenities will be added to the museum offering: latest generation deposits for one of the largest collections of tapestries and carpets in the world; an exhibition annex; three cafés in the Kaffeehaus, Prato dei Castagni and Pagliere; restoration labs; the Palazzina di Annalena education centre with six classrooms; and weather-resistant information panels to make every walk enlightening.
Schmidt continued: “By presenting the masterplan with the restored Kaffeehaus and ten other projects that have been completed (or about to be completed), plus another 12 projects that are underway, we want to emphasize and tangibly show that ‘Boboli 2030’ isn’t a crazy notion or a list of good intentions. It is a concrete commitment, which will take place over the next eight years due to the hard work and self-sacrifice of our architects, botanists and admin staff. It will mostly be financed by Uffizi ticket sales. The plan is not only to return the Boboli Gardens to the glory of the Medici and Lorraine days, but to go further and make it the finest outdoors museum in the world.”
Kaffeehaus restored
The Kaffeehaus in the Boboli Gardens has just been restored, which included a refresh of the 18th-century frescoes and the installation of new air conditioning and lighting systems. After years of being closed to the public, the striking grand ducal coffee shop will reopen in October with catering facilities, tables, restrooms and a panoramic terrace for a beverage while enjoying one of the most extraordinary views of Florence.
