How The Last Princess Of The Medici Saved Florence Artistic Heritage

How The Last Princess Of The Medici Saved Florence Artistic Heritage

There was one more reason this year to visit Florence in the month of February. The evening of 18th, in fact, citizens and foreigners were able to attend to a unique event: the Light display of the project of Michelangelo on the facade of the church of San Lorenzo.

It was a tribute to Electress Palatine, the last of the Medici family, that in his testament clearly expressed the desire that the Church was completed. Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici was the last great Princess of Tuscany, the only daughter born from the marriage between the Grand Duke Cosimo III and Margu=E9rite-Louise d'Orl=E9ans.



The Pact of family saved the Medici's art collection

Anna Maria Luisa (the Electress Palatine), after the death of his brother, travelled the Gran Duchy to the government of the Lorena family, and dedicated all the last part of her life to prevent the cultural heritage of her family and therefore of Florence from being completely dispersed.

With the Convention between Francesco Stefano di Lorena and Anna Maria Luisa (the "Pact of Family"), signed in 1737, the Medici's art collections were transferred to the new Grand Duke, but with the condition that they would remain tied "forever" to the city of Florence and to the state of Tuscany.



All the initiatives of the town of Florence on 18 February

The Municipality of Florence has decided to dedicate to Anna Maria Luisa the 18th February, the day of her death. In 2007, on the occasion of the 270 years from the signature of the "Pact of Family", there were a lot of initiatives in memory of Maria Luisa: it certainly was an excellent opportunity to visit Florence and know its real cultural heritage.

In addition to the light display of the fa=E7ade, a marble column actually realised by Michelangelo was place near the Church entrance: a traditional historical parade and a Conference closed the event.