Peaceful protests by local residents and students have taken place in recent weeks against plans to turn the former Ferrucci barracks off piazza Santo Spirito into an upscale elderly care home. The rallies saw the participation of the prior and his religious order due to the location of the potential real estate project by the basilica and cloister used by the Augustinian friars.
In 2022, the Italian ministry of defence put out a tender aimed at renovating the ex-barracks, which has been won by Fastpol, a development for luxury retirement properties and hotels. The friars say that they were mainly unaware about the plans.
Padre Giuseppe Pagano remarked, “We are engaging in dialogue with citizens to share what is dear to us: our monastery. The part currently under question dates to the 1500s, where the Ammannati cloister is located. Our only wish is that this place is neither exploited nor used for purposes that are inappropriate. We want to create a cultural centre where the entire city can come together. What matters to us is offering this space for the good of all, a place where everyone can find a point of encounter and dialogue that does not necessarily have to be religious.”
Ph. Tracy Russo
Ph. Tracy Russo
The future of the former military building has since been discussed at the highest level in Rome by the Italian minister of defence, Guido Crosetto, the archbishop of Florence, Gherardo Gambelli, the prior general of the Augustinian Order, Alejandro Moral Antón, and the prior of Santo Spirito. The outcome appears to be one of government support for the prior’s point of view due in part to a clause that would appear to shield the property from speculation.
The Mayor of Florence, Sara Funaro, has visited the monastery and has spoken with the prior, showing support for the religious community. The way ahead remains unclear, however.
