Image: Brancacci Chapel, Florence
Florence Civic Museums and the Fondazione MUS.E will mark the Festa di Sant’Anna on 26 July 2026 with a program of free guided visits at Palazzo Vecchio, centering on the medieval history and civic symbolism tied to Florence’s patron saint and protector of the city’s liberty. The day’s activities focus on treasures housed in the palace, including the Sala del Mezzanino and works associated with the building’s layered history.
According to the museum announcement, the guided tours are built around the Sala del Mezzanino, where visitors can see the detached fresco attributed to Andrea di Cione, known as Orcagna. Dated to between 1343 and 1349, the work came from the old Stinche prison and is described as a rare visual record of the expulsion of Gualtieri di Brienne, the Duke of Athens. The event being commemorated is linked to 26 July 1343, when the ruler was driven out of Florence, an episode that the tradition of the period associated with the intercession of Sant’Anna.
The itinerary also includes the secret staircase originally commissioned by the Duke of Athens for security, along with spaces in the Mezzanino and artworks from the Donazione Charles Loeser. Among the pieces mentioned in the notice are the ‘Ritratto di Laura Battiferri’ by Bronzino and terracotta works by Rustici inspired by Leonardo. The route continues to other objects and reliefs in Palazzo Vecchio, including a 15th-century marble relief of ‘San Zanobi e il Palazzo della Signoria’, the 14th-century wooden ceiling of the Sala del Marzocco, and a Byzantine-style relief of ‘San Giorgio e il drago’ from a gate in the 12th- to 13th-century city walls.
The civic and religious significance of the day is underscored by the afternoon and evening rituals that follow the museum visits. The Corteo Storico della Repubblica Fiorentina will depart from the Palagio di Parte Guelfa, pass through Piazza della Signoria and the cathedral precinct, and end at Orsanmichele, where a traditional candle-bearing ceremony dedicated to Sant’Anna is scheduled for 9.30 pm.
The museum program lists guided visits at 10.30 am, 12 noon, 3 pm and 4.30 pm on Sunday 26 July at Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria 1. Participation in the guided visits is free, but museum admission must be purchased at the ordinary rate, with free entry for residents of the Metropolitan City of Florence holding the Card del Fiorentino.
The notice also states that if a heatwave alert is issued under the Codice Rosso, access to the Mezzanino will not be possible for reasons of protection and visitor comfort, though the focus visit will continue through the rest of the museum route. Reservations are required by telephone at 055-0541450 or by email at info@musefirenze.it.
