Art has been one of the pillars of human life since the beginning. Cave paintings, Gothic architecture, the Mona Lisa or the Sistine Chapel are just a few examples of great works made by great artists.
One of them was Michelangelo Buonarroti, Michelangelo, known for being among the great names of the Italian Renaissance and art in general. But, despite his works, many of them were not well received at the time, which led not only him, but many artists and thinkers to go into hiding for years.
Vault discovery
Although just a few days ago, precisely on November 15, the doors of the vault were opened to the public, the discovery is more than 40 years old. In November, but 1975, Paolo Dal Poggetto, the then director of the Museum of the Medici Chapels commissioned a restorer named Sabino Giovannoni to clean a narrow corridor under the vault (apse) of the New Sacristy of San Lorenzo, designed by Michelangelo at the beginning of the 16th century. What neither Paolo nor Sabino would have ever imagined is that that simple wash meant the discovery of something incredible.
A tiny room, barely 10 meters long, was in front of them with a more than interesting story. Although the age of the space was more than 500 years, its last use had been just 20 years ago; Until 1955, this area had been used as a coal deposit, but over time it was forgotten and no one returned.
After several hygiene tasks, sketches and drawings made with wooden sticks of various sizes and shapes were found. Quickly the theory that gained the most strength was, in turn, the most mysterious: The author of these works had been the same author of the Basilica where they were located. Michelangelo was the man behind this.
In 1530, during the expulsion from Florence of the Medici, the most important family of patrons in Europe and Italy, Pope Clement VII asked for the head of Michelangelo, claiming that he had been the supervisor of the fortifications that were made in the city. during the brief Florentine Republic from 1527 to 1532. It was then that the dean of San Lorenzo, Giovanni Battista Figiovanni, decided to help Michelangelo find a safe place to spend the nights without fear of dying. The vault thus served as a refuge for two long months, during which Miguel Ángel dedicated himself to thinking, drawing and devising various projects that he would later realize in real life. Finally, the artist was forgiven and was able to return to the surface, continuing his work in the city until 1534, the year in which he returned to Rome.
Dates, availability and prices
With November 15 of this year being the day the vault opened to the public, both the city of Florence and its tourism have given something to talk about throughout the Italian peninsula, which has made the demand for tickets greater than average. But, despite the public’s expectations, few people will be able to enjoy Michelangelo’s underground works, since the place will only be open until March 30, 2024. In turn, admissions will be in groups of 4 people or less (100 people weekly) and the visit is accompanied not only by the guides, but also by a security team in charge of taking care of the place to preserve its essence. The ticket has a total value of 30 euros and an extra must be paid as a reservation. The visit lasts 15 minutes, children under 18 years of age enter for free, but both children under 10 years of age and people with reduced mobility will not be able to enter, at least for this first opening.
The tour is undoubtedly very brief, the works are not the most famous but, even so, they are more than interesting sketches, not only for their authorship, but also for the hidden story behind them. A genius, buried for two months so as not to be assassinated by a Pope, drew in the greatest solitude lines that dazzle to this day. And that, to be preserved, they cannot be exposed to the breath of thousands of visitors without disappearing. For this reason, and at least for now, Michelangelo’s last mystery will remain far from the public’s eyes.
Image gallery
