[MR] History Blog: New Old Frescoes at Palazzo Vecchio

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Today the History Blog serves up an interesting story about forgotten
frescoes that were found during renovations at the Palazzo Vecchio in
Florence.

The Palazzo Vecchio was formerly Florence's city hall. Shortly after Cosimo
I de' Medici became Duke of Florence in 1537, he appropriated the building
as his ducal palace and administrative headquarters. Cosimo ordered a
secret escape route built from his apartments just in case he and his
family had to make a hasty departure from the palace.

The palace is now a museum, and the former secret escape route is now an
emergency exit for the staff. The frescoes, which had been covered over
with many layers of plaster and paint, were discovered recently, and are
being preserved.

The story is at http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/67026 .

More about the Palazzo Vecchio is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Vecchio .

A bio of the duke is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosimo_I_de'_Medici%2C_Grand_Duke_of_Tuscany
. Note that Cosimo was Duke of Florence when he took over the Palazzo. He
didn't become Grand Duke of Tuscany until 1569. The History Blog writer
blew this factoid.

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆