Bigallo Museum

The Loggia del Bigallo is found in the heart of Florence, in piazza del Duomo, and was built in the mid-14th century for the Compagnia della Misericordia, along with the adjacent oratory. In 1425 it also became the seat of the Compagnia del Bigallo, from the name of the hospital it ran in Santa Maria a Fonteviva, known as the Bigallo.

In 1904 the place saw the reunion of some of the works that had once been commissioned by or donated to the Compagnia, and then lost through chance occurrences. Reordered in 1976, the collection includes artworks that combine values of devotion and history and bear witness to the life of the Confraternity through the centuries, from the 14th to the 17th century, such as a Crucifix of the Maestro del Bigallo, works by Bernard Daddi and Niccolò di Pietro Gerini.

Particularly noteworthy is the large fresco of the Madonna della Misericordia, a 14th-century work attributed to the circle of Bernardo Daddi, portraing the oldest view of Florence, with the Baptistery and the incomplete facade of the Cathedral.

In addition to the paintings, some important sculptures are also on display, such as those by Alberto Arnoldi (mid-14th century), to whom we also owe the niches and sculptures in the Loggia.

The museum is currently closed to the public for restoration work.

Accessibility information: feelflorence.it