The Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore is moving forward with a 60 million euro investment aimed at restoring monuments and buildings around piazza del Duomo, chief among them Giotto’s Campanile, alongside the expansion of the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo and the refurbishment of the Collegio Eugeniano.
On March 9, restoration works will begin on Giotto’s Bell Tower, a project expected to last around four years at a cost of more than seven million euro, fully funded by the cathedral’s governing body. The construction of the scaffolding, set to take approximately four months, has been engineered to minimize visual impact while allowing continued access to the monument’s interior and panoramic terrace. The system will enable restorers to work in phases, starting from the top and moving downward, progressively unveiling the restored sections to the public.
It marks the first time the bell tower will undergo a comprehensive restoration as previous interventions addressed only isolated portions of the structure. The current works have become necessary due to significant surface degradation affecting the exterior marble cladding, which is particularly visible in elements on the upper terrace and decorative apparatus.
Meanwhile, in nearby via dello Studio, restoration of the historic Collegio Eugeniano is nearing completion. The building will become the Opera’s main headquarters, with offices and the staff canteen scheduled to relocate there by June 2026. The 13 million euro project, also entirely financed by the Opera, began in September 2023. The transfer will also free up approximately 1,500 square metres of space, making way for the creation of 17 new residential and commercial units. The Opera says the move reflects a long-standing strategy aimed at safeguarding a resident population in Florence’s historic centre.
Works are also progressing on the expansion of the Opera del Duomo Museum, made possible by the 2023 acquisition of neighbouring Palazzo Compagni. The project will nearly double the museum’s footprint, enabling a more coherent visitor route along with new facilities including temporary exhibition spaces, a conference hall and a café with garden. Designed by Guicciardini & Magni Architetti, the same firm that created the existing museum, the works began in 2023 and are scheduled for completion in 2030. The overall investment is estimated at 39 million euro, excluding the cost of restoring additional artworks destined for display.
“Alongside the goal of conserving and restoring the monumental complex of Florence’s Duomo,” said Opera president Luca Bagnoli, “there is also the assumption of a cultural and social responsibility toward the city’s built heritage… The Opera is available to make further investments and, in particular, to evaluate the purchase of other historic buildings in the city to be destined for housing.”
