The restoration inside the San Giorgio e Spirito Santo alla Costa church has been completed after three years.
The church, located along the steep Costa San Giorgio, was one of the main priories in medieval Florence. It was here that the young Giotto painted the altarpiece of the Madonna and Child Enthroned with Two Angels, now in the Opera del Duomo Museum. The church was renovated in 1705-08 by architect Giovan Battista Foggini, while the interior was decorated with Rococo-style works by Alessandro Gherardini and Antonio Domenico Gabbiani. The stuccoes are by Giovan Battista Ciceri and the grilles are by Jacopo Pini, all designed by Foggini.
Due to damage to the roof, San Giorgio alla Costa was closed for nearly 35 years before being reopened in 2018, thanks to the construction work sponsored by Fondazione Gianmaria Buccellati. Before the restoration, the colours of the stucco and marble decorations were heavily concealed by dust and heavy repainting carried out during previous restorations. The project, which involved 10 restorers and 10 labourers, also included the creation of a modern lighting system, allowing admirers to fully enjoy the beauty of the church.
The restoration of the decorative artworks, which demonstrate a rare example of Baroque art in Florence, was made possible by Fondazione’s CR Firenze’s contribution of 274,000 euro.
Luigi Salvadori, president of Fondazione CR Firenze, said, “We are very pleased to have contributed to restoring the beauty of this Baroque jewel to the community, thanks to a major project that has restored great artistic works to their former glory.”
