Boboli Gardens in Florence to undergo major restoration

The Uffizi Galleries have announced a €15 million restoration of the Boboli Gardens in Florence, targeting the Neptune and Island fountains, the Amphitheater, and the botanical heritage. The Amphitheater, originally designed as a green architecture by Tribolo for Eleonora of Toledo and later transformed into masonry under Cosimo II de' Medici, will be restored to host live performances again. Work includes sculptural, vegetal, and structural restoration of the steps, balustrades, 24 aedicules with urns and statues, parterre, basin, obelisk, and adjacent pathways, as well as a new fire-fighting water system. The fountain restorations will revive 100 original water jet mechanisms. A separate plan will reintegrate missing vegetation and reconstruct the original garden layout, including hedges, tree rows, and lawns, alongside new pedestrian and vehicular paths. Simone Verde, director of the Uffizi Galleries, stated the project aims to restore the original appearance of the green heart of Florence, linking it to the imminent opening of the Vasari Corridor. The contractor will be selected via a tender managed by the Superintendence of Pisa and Livorno. Work duration is 10 months.