President Mattarella in Florence: Europe, Art, and Memory

President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella spent a day in Florence on October 29 for a series of events that intertwined politics, culture, and remembrance. The central moment of the visit was the meeting of the European Central Bank’s Governing Council, held at Palazzo Corsini.

Meeting of the European Central Bank at Palazzo Corsini

In his address to the ECB board, Mattarella called on Europe to rediscover the “momentum and courage” that inspired the great institutional milestones of integration, from the founding treaties to the adoption of the single currency. He said it was urgent to accelerate towards stronger political and economic integration, reminding that Europe already has the tools to do so and must now implement them “with determination and within a clear timeframe.”

The President praised the ECB’s independence and its role in ensuring price stability even through recent crises such as the pandemic, the energy shock following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the surge of inflation, now largely under control. Mattarella described the ECB as “an example of the potential born from a shared commitment among people of diverse experiences and cultures to pursue a common goal.”

He also highlighted the need for a more unified European fiscal and economic policy, warning that the current “asymmetry” between the single currency and fragmented national policies limits the Union’s ability to respond to global challenges. Quoting former President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, he said Europe still suffers from a kind of “limp” that can only be healed through deeper cooperation on foreign policy, defense, infrastructure, and innovation.

Finally, Mattarella expressed confidence in Europe’s future: “Our continent has extraordinary human and material resources. It has everything it takes to remain a key player in the world and ensure prosperity for its citizens.”

Visit to Palazzo Strozzi and the Beato Angelico Exhibition

Earlier in the day, President Mattarella arrived in Florence by train, welcomed with applause at Santa Maria Novella station. His first official stop was Palazzo Strozzi, where he visited the major exhibition “Beato Angelico: The Dawn of the Renaissance”.

Accompanied by Florence’s mayor Sara Funaro, Tuscany’s regional president Eugenio Giani, and the director general of Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Arturo Galansino, Mattarella toured the galleries alongside Stefano Casciu, regional director of Italy’s state museums, and Carl Brandon Strehlke, the exhibition’s curator.

The show brings together masterpieces by Fra Angelico, a central figure of early Renaissance art, and explores his spiritual and artistic legacy in dialogue with contemporaries such as Masaccio and Filippo Lippi. Mattarella’s presence underscored the close connection between Italian art and identity, as well as the enduring role of Florence as a cradle of European culture.

A Private Visit to the Spadolini Foundation

After his institutional and cultural appointments, President Mattarella made a private visit to the Spadolini Foundation – Nuova Antologia, located in Pian de’ Giullari, on the hills overlooking Florence.

The visit marked the centenary of the birth of Giovanni Spadolini (1925–1994), the Florentine intellectual, historian, journalist, and statesman who served as Italy’s Prime Minister and as President of the Senate. The President and Spadolini had shared a close friendship during their years in Parliament.

Mattarella toured the Casa dei Libri and the Library of the Foundation, guided by Cosimo Ceccuti, president of the institution. In the Spadolini Hall, where many cultural events are held, Ceccuti presented him with a special leather-bound edition of Spadolini’s book Gli uomini che fecero l’Italia (“The Men Who Made Italy”).

The visit continued through Spadolini’s former residence, known as Il Tondo dei Cipressi, which houses historical memorabilia, paintings, and part of the statesman’s vast library. The day ended with a private lunch in the villa’s dining room — the first time since Spadolini’s lifetime that a Head of State has shared a meal there.

A Day Bridging Europe, Art, and Civic Memory

President Mattarella’s day in Florence brought together the three pillars that often define the city’s identity: its European vocation, its cultural heritage, and its civic traditions. From Palazzo Corsini to Palazzo Strozzi and the hills of Pian de’ Giullari, the visit combined institutional gravitas with personal homage — a reflection of Florence itself as both a place of history and a living stage for Europe’s shared future.

(In the cover picture: President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella with Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, and Fabio Panetta, Governor of the Bank of Italy, on the occasion of the meeting with the Governing Council of the ECB. Photo by Francesco Ammendola – Press and Communication Office of the Presidency of the Republic.)

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