TREASURES OF THE MAP TERRACE IN THE UFFIZI

The Uffizi Map Terrace is located in the east wing on the second floor of the complex designed by Giorgio Vasari. Facing the Basilica of Santa Croce and the Arno River, it is close to the Tribune and its north side is adjacent to the former Medici Theater by Bernardo Buontalenti. The room is part of the gallery’s original core and even today it maintains its importance as a late sixteenth-century space—seeming like a terrace with a roof and columns. The murals of the maps of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany were created in 1588–1589 by Stefano Bonsignori and painted by Ludovico Buti, while the wooden ceiling is decorated with canvases by Jacopo Zucchi that Ferdinando I ordered brought to the Uffizi in 1588 from Palazzo Firenze, his Rome residence.
This book, written at the conclusion of the restorations that brought back to light the terrace’s stylistic qualities and technical peculiarities, is an account of how and why it came into being, the history of the collections it housed over the centuries, and the events that transpired during that time, leading to the achievement of the goals presented here.
More than 370 images (the result of a new photographic campaign) and the multi-disciplinary contribution of 30 authors present not only the historical-artistic history of the space, but also the analytical documentation of all the restoration work that has made it possible to return the Terrace to the public in all its original splendour.
Texts by Gloria Antoni, Paolo Bensi, Manola Bernini, Anna Bisceglia, Mauro Bondioli, Filippo Camerota, Laura Caria, Ottaviano Caruso, Lorenzo Conti, Walter Cupperi, Sara di Gregorio, Andrea Dori, Lucia Dori, Miriam Fiocca, Antonio Godoli, Samantha Gradi, Giovanni Gualdani, Luisa Landi, Daniela Lippi, Anna Medori, Chiara Mignani, Elisa Millacci, Debora Minotti, Fabrizio Paolucci, Daniela Parenti, Sandra Pucci, Leonardo Rombai, Chiara Rossi Scarzanella, Eike Schmidt, Daniela Smalzi, Cristiana Todaro, Lucia Tongiorgi Tomasi, Andrea Vigna, Hiromi Yamada.
Produced in collaboration with the Uffizi Galleries and the Friends of The Uffizi Gallery Association.