Visitors were able to walk atop scaffolding during the restoration, but can now bask in its full glory
The Brancacci Chapel, often referred to as the Sistine Chapel of the early Renaissance, recently reopened its doors upon concluding a two-year-long restoration project on its frescoes. Since May 16, the Chapel has been open every day except Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Several organizations carefully outlined missing details and repaired damages on the frescoes. These organizations include the Friends of Florence Foundation, the Fine Arts Service of the City of Florence, the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the Metropolitan City of Florence and the provinces of Pistoia and Prato, the Institute of Cultural Heritage Sciences of the National Research Council (CNR), and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure. The project was funded by the Jay Pritzker Foundation.
One of the many scenes from the chapel’s iconic painting cycle is Filippino Lippi’s The Dispute of Simon Mago, completed in the early 1580s. Once a fragment of the plaster coating broke off from this scene in November of 2020, the collaborative effort to reattach fragments, fill in spaces of figures, and solidify plaster began.
Although the Brancacci Chapel has a humble exterior in the quiet Santa Maria Del Carmine area, the interior is a special surprise for those who cross the Arno River, away from the more popular tourist attractions.
The Chapel is named after the wealthy Brancacci family, who commissioned the paintings in 1427. The chapel’s artwork exemplifies the artistic changes painters were experimenting with in the 15th century, from the maniera greca style of the Byzantine era that was still popular to the humanistic figures of the Renaissance that were new and controversial.
The chapel only allows 30 visitors every 30 minutes due to its small size. Tickets can be purchased on the museum’s online portal or in person at their ticket office. Tickets are €7 for guests from 18-25 years of age, and €10 for guests above 25.
Brancacci Chapel at Santa Maria del Carmine
Piazza del Carmine, 14
Phone: 055 276 8224
Tickets: €7-10
