About
A river was expanded explicitly so that Hitler could appreciate this private skyway filled with art.
The Vasari Corridor was commissioned by Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici in 1564 as a grand way to celebrate the marriage of his son. It is an overground passage which connects the Palazzo Vecchio to the Uffizi Gallery and then passes on top of the Ponte Vecchio to reach the Palazzo Pitti. Giorgio Vasari was tasked with designing what turned out to be a very impressive skyway, allowing Cosimo the freedom to move unhindered between his abode and his workspaces, while offering a remarkable view of the Arno River. Unfortunately, its construction didn't go as smoothly as expected due to a tower belonging to the Mannelli family blocking its path. Nonetheless it was finished in only five months and flanked by panoramic windows added later by Benito Mussolini for Adolf Hitler's visit in 1940.
