An extraordinary testament to ancient Florentia has been restored to its former glory thanks to a painstaking restoration project.
In multi-coloured mosaic, the floor of the Church of Santa Reparata in Florence Cathedral displays a magnificent peacock, a Christian symbol of the resurrection, and an epigraph with the names of 14 donors of the mosaic.
The restoration took 18 months to complete and was conducted by restorers of Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, the institution that promotes and maintains the heritage of Florence Cathedral.
The floor belongs to the first Church of Santa Reparata, which came to light in the early part of the fifth century AD. Probably measuring 52 metres long by 25 metres wide, the interior was split into three naves and separated by two rows of 14 columns. The peacock emblem was situated in the centre of the main nave, while the long epigraph featuring the donors’ names was located more towards the original façade, which faced the Baptistery.
Santa Reparata is part of the Florence Cathedral monuments, which can be accessed with a combined ticket costing 15 euro.
