The 1966 flood of the Arno in Florence killed 101 people and damaged or destroyed millions of masterpieces of art and rare books. It is considered the worst flood in the city's history since 1557. With the combined effort of Italian and foreign volunteers alike, or angeli del fango, many of these fine works have been restored. New methods in conservation were devised and restoration laboratories established. However, even decades later, much work remains to be done.
Square in Florence with a white high water mark of the 1966 flood. At this point the marker is about 4 metres (13 ft) high.
Manuscripts from the National Library being washed and dried in the boiler room of Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station, after the flood
Mud angels in November 1966.
Cimabue's Crucifix after it was near destroyed in the 1966 Flood of the Arno, before the 10 year restoration
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 360,930 inhabitants in 2023, and 984,991 in its metropolitan area.
Image: Firenze Dec 092023 01
Image: Palacio Viejo, Florencia, Italia, 2022 09 18, DD 236 238 HDR
Image: Catedral, Florencia, Italia, 2022 09 19, DD 91
Image: Panorama of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy
