A tiny room discovered in 1975, known as Michelangelo’s “secret room” in the Medici Chapel in Florence’s San Lorenzo Church has opened its doors for an experimental period to small groups. Up until 30 March 2024, this magnificent room will operate under strict rules, only accessible by reservation, four people per group, capping to 100 weekly visits.
What makes this room a must-see when visiting Florence?
Located via the New Sacristy alter in the Museum of the Medici Chapels, the “secret room” features charcoal drawings by Italy’s famous sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, known today simply as Michelangelo.
Let’s step back in time for a little history
When Director of the Museum of the Medici Chapels, Paolo Dal Poggetto, began the task of identifying a new exit for the Museum, the space considered perfect was beneath the apse of the New Sacristy (an alter designed by Michelangelo as a place of meditation on the knowledge of man and his eternity).
What they didn’t anticipate was finding a narrow corridor with a sealed room ten metres long and three metres wide, for decades a forgotten room below a trapdoor covered by stacked furnishings. The task of the restoration was given to restorer Sabino Giovannoni, who while working on removing two layers of plaster on the walls, stopped at the discovery of several figure drawings in charcoal. The Director of the Museum at the time believed the charcoal drawings were done while Michelangelo used the space as a refuge from Pope Clement VII, back in 1530, when Michelangelo had served as supervisor of the city’s fortifications.
After a time-consuming, constant and painstaking task to bring to life the magnificent charcoal drawings, we now can see these unique drawings by the famous Renaissance artist for ourselves.
Want to experience Michelangelo’s “secret room” in Florence?
Vita Italian Tours can personally guide you through the City of Florence and include a reserved entrance to experience Michelangelo’s “secret room” in the Medici Chapels on the Grand Tour of Italy small group tour.
If independent travel is more your style let us devise a tailor-made travel itinerary for you to explore this wonderful city and its surrounds.
Contact us today to start planning your visit.