Cloudburst in Florence: rain pours into the Uffizi and historic Palazzo Pitti
On 17 September a sudden deluge dropped more than 45 mm of rain in an hour, turning Florence’s historic centre into a waterlogged tableau. The storm surged through the city’s famed museums, testing the resilience of centuries‑old walls and priceless canvases.
At the Uffizi Gallery, a leak appeared beneath the skylight of the room that houses seven 17th‑century masterpieces, including Caravaggio’s Bacchus. Water splashed the outer glass of the painting’s protective case, momentarily blurring the image, but conservators reported no damage and the gallery reopened the next day.
Further north, the Renaissance Palazzo Pitti saw its Palatine Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art floors inundated. Parts of the exhibition space were temporarily closed as staff began the painstaking task of draining and assessing the damage.