Loggia del Bigallo

The Loggia del Bigallo is an elegant monumental complex located in the heart of Florence, in Piazza San Giovanni, at the corner with Via dei Calzaiuoli. This historic building has a unique charm thanks to its combination of architectural, sculptural, and pictorial elements that tell the story of the city and its charitable institutions. The oldest part of the complex dates back to 1321, when the captains of the Company of Mercy purchased a house and a tower from the Adimari family to build their headquarters. After the terrible plague of 1348, the Company of Mercy added an oratory and a loggia, places of prayer and welcome, especially for orphaned or abandoned children. Although not documented, the work is often attributed to Alberto Arnoldi, sculptor and architect of Santa Maria del Fiore. The loggia, built in the Gothic period, features round arches that recall a Guelph classicism, distinguishing it from the Ghibelline forms of Siena. The arches of the loggia, initially open, were closed with iron grilles in 1358 and decorated with frescoes by Nardo di Cione and sculptures by Arnoldi himself. The frescoes depicted religious and historical scenes, including an image of the Madonna of Mercy with the oldest view of Florence, with the baptistery and the incomplete facade of Santa Maria del Fiore. In 1425, the Company of Mercy joined the Brotherhood of the Bigallo, giving rise to the Societas Misericordie et Bigalli. This union brought new artistic works, such as sculptures in the niches and the double-sided panel in the Captains’ Hall. In 1442, a fire damaged part of the loggia, which was subsequently rebuilt with elegant mullioned windows and frescoes. In 1489, the two companies split, and the Company of the Bigallo became the sole owner of the loggia. The building became a symbol of the company, used to display lost or abandoned children to facilitate their recognition. The arches were walled up in 1698 to increase the space of the hospital, but reopened in 1865 during a restoration designed by Mariano Falcini. The Bigallo Museum, inaugurated in 1976, houses a precious collection of artworks related to the history of the company. Among the most important works is a Crucifix by the Master of the Bigallo (1235-1255), frescoes detached from the altar wall, and roundels by artists such as Lorenzo di Credi and Jacopo del Sellaio. The altar of the ancient oratory preserves sculptures by Alberto Arnoldi and paintings by Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio. The Portable Triptych by Bernardo Daddi (1333) and the Madonna of Humility with two angels by Domenico di Michelino are other valuable works displayed in the museum. Additionally, there are panels of Madonnas with Child, one of which is attributed to the Master of San Miniato, and others from the workshop of Lorenzo Ghiberti. Among the sculptures, the coat of arms of the Altoviti between two cherubs, attributed to Desiderio da Settignano (1463), stands out. The museum also exhibits ceramics, terracottas, ancient archive books, and furnishings from the two brotherhoods. The entire complex is a significant testimony to the charitable history of Florence and the civic devotion of its inhabitants.