24-hour gym to replace former Goldoni cinema in Florence

The former Goldoni cinema in Via dei Serragli, one of the oldest theatres in Florence, is set to become a gym open 24 hours a day. The plan marks the latest transformation in the city’s Oltrarno district, where former cultural and historic spaces are increasingly converted into commercial venues. The news was reported by the local newspapers Corriere fiorentino and La Repubblica.

The Goldoni, first opened as a theatre and daytime arena in 1818 and later redesigned as a cinema in the mid-20th century, had remained active until the early 2000s. After years of disuse, it was restored and briefly hosted the acting school directed by Pierfrancesco Favino under the Teatro della Toscana Foundation. That project ended in 2024 amid financial difficulties.

Since the school’s closure, the property has been in the hands of the real estate company Almat, which had listed it for sale at around three million euros. Now, a new fitness chain plans to occupy the 1,100-square-metre site.

City councillor Cecilia Del Re described the news as a further loss for the cultural identity of the Oltrarno, saying the former cinema’s conversion reflects the city’s struggle to preserve spaces for the performing arts.

Just a few metres away, another historic building — the former Convitto della Calza — has recently reopened as a wellness centre. Together, these transformations highlight a broader shift in central Florence, where economic pressures and the decline of public cultural institutions are reshaping the urban landscape.

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