New public gardens open along viale Michelangelo

New public gardens open along viale Michelangelo

Former Michelangelo campsite becomes summer events space.

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Sun 16 Jun 2024 4:03 PM

A former campsite along viale Michelangelo has been converted into public gardens after fallen into disuse for almost ten years.

Situated to the right of piazzale Michelangelo and the Iris Garden, the new park covers nearly ten acres of land and aims to attract locals to enjoy the greenery as well as lovers of contemporary culture due to the street art section in partnership with Street Levels Gallery.

“We worked for a long time on the complete regeneration of this wonderful place, now transformed into a garden available to everyone within the UNESCO area of Florence,” said Dario Nardella, in one of his final presentations as the Mayor of Florence. “It’s a last gift to the city and I’m happy to deliver it to those who will come after me.”

The redevelopment, which was carried out by the city’s environmental department and landscape architecture firm Studio Bellesi Giuntoli, costing 450,000 euro, focused on improving accessibility and making the area safe, including new LED lighting. Many existing pathways, both for vehicles and pedestrians, followed a logic linked to the functionality of the campsite and have been reclaimed as far as possible by integrating them with the new routes in line with the existing landscape. A new pedestrian path starts in piazzale Michelangelo by the parking lot near the Iris Garden and reaches a newly built access gate by following the park’s boundaries. A telescope inserted into shrubbery provides exceptional views of Florence and Fiesole. In terms of the greenery, all 700 or so olive trees have been maintained and all other trees have undergone thorough checks. Picnic areas and seats have been added along the main paths as well as an area in which children can play football.

The garden has been made available to local associations for cultural projects, including the city’s summer events showcase, Estate Fiorentina.

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