Streams of water ran down Caravaggio's masterpieces. Torrential rain in Florence damaged the Uffizi Gallery's reputation

As the publication La Nazione reports, meteorologists recorded over 45 millimeters of precipitation within one hour. Such a volume of water exceeded the capacity of drainage systems and roof structures of old buildings.

The most unpleasant incident occurred on the first floor of the Uffizi Gallery, in the hall dedicated to 17th-century Italian painting (Sala del Seicento). Water began to leak through a skylight on the ceiling and fell directly onto the climate-controlled display case housing Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio's painting "Bacchus" (circa 1598).

In front of visitors, streams of water began to run down the outer glass of the protective casing, and the glass itself fogged up. Gallery staff immediately closed the hall to tourists and removed the painting from the display case. For a while, the space was open for viewing with an empty display case on the wall, while technicians inspected the room. In addition to "Bacchus," six other paintings from the same period were located in this room.

After the examination, the Uffizi management officially confirmed to the ANSA news agency that the water remained exclusively on the outer surface of the glass. Neither "Bacchus" nor the other six paintings sustained any damage or came into contact with moisture. On the morning of September 18, the artwork was returned to its place, and the hall was opened as usual.

Павялічыць

The bad weather also affected another object of the museum complex — the Pitti Palace. The publication La Sicilia reports leaks in the Palatine Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art. Water flooded the floor, forcing the administration to temporarily block access to some exhibition areas.

Silvia Barlacchi, a representative of the Cisl trade union, publicly demanded that the management clarify the exact causes of the incident at the Pitti Palace. It has not yet been determined whether the leak was caused by staff negligence (forgotten open windows) or if water passed through old window frames that could not withstand the force of the wind and rain.

Reaction and modernization plans

The incident became a cause of political disputes in the city council. Massimo Sabatini, a representative of the political group of former Uffizi director Eike Schmidt, stated that such situations are unacceptable given the years of repair work carried out in the complex.

In response to the criticism, gallery representatives recalled that the problem of historical roof wear is known to them. The current Uffizi director, Simone Verde, had already presented a €50 million modernization plan for the complex in August. Of this sum, €12 million are specifically allocated for the repair of facades and the complete replacement of building roof coverings, including the reconstruction of old window frames and the improvement of thermal insulation in the halls.

For the Uffizi, this is the second serious infrastructure incident in recent times. In June 2026, during a heatwave, the air conditioning system in the building failed, temporarily halting ticket sales. Verde's new investment plan also provides for the purchase of additional refrigeration units and pumps to control air humidity in the halls.

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