Medieval city walls found under Piazza Beccaria delay tramway works

The discovery of medieval fortifications under Piazza Beccaria has forced a redesign of Florence’s new tramway route and could delay the completion of the line by up to three months.

Archaeologists uncovered a section of the city’s second defensive wall system, dating to the late 13th century, during excavation for underground utilities on the 3.2.1 line between Piazza della Libertà and Bagno a Ripoli.

According to the Soprintendenza — the state heritage authority — the remains belong to the external defences of the so-called mura arnolfiane, designed around 1284 by Arnolfo di Cambio. The walls were still standing when Dante Alighieri was a young man in Florence, before his exile in 1302.

The archaeological find, located on the side of Via Gioberti, includes a chamber and an adjoining structure that cannot be removed. The Soprintendenza has ruled out covering the discovery with a glass panel, requiring instead that it be preserved underground.

Route redesign and likely delays

City engineers and the municipal water company Publiacqua are now studying how to divert a 1.2-metre-wide aqueduct pipe around the site, which will require four separate bends. Hydraulic tests are under way to verify whether the solution is technically viable.

The change means the tramway contractor, Cmb, will have to adjust the underground service layout before tracks can be installed. Officials estimate a delay of at least three months to the construction schedule, with completion of the 3.2.1 line now potentially slipping beyond early 2027.

Mayor Sara Funaro said the city is “working with all offices and contractors to find the fastest possible solution” while ensuring protection of the archaeological remains. She stressed that respecting the PNRR (EU Recovery Fund) deadlines remains a top priority.

New phase at Piazzale Donatello

From the night of December 17, works will begin on the tramway platform inside the central ring of Piazzale Donatello, next to the English Cemetery. The new configuration will keep two outer lanes open for traffic in both directions, while closing internal lanes and U-turn routes until March 1, 2026.

Alternative routes will be available via Via La Farina and Via degli Artisti. Preparatory works will also start on Lungarno Colombo near Ponte da Verrazzano, with parking bans and narrower pavements.

Line to Sesto Fiorentino approved without transfer

Meanwhile, the City Council has approved an updated design for the Line 2.2 extension from the airport to Sesto Fiorentino. The revision allows the tramway to continue directly from the city centre to Sesto without requiring passengers to change vehicles at the airport stop.

The motion, presented by urban planning councillor Caterina Biti, was supported by the governing majority and Italy Viva, while opposition councillors expressed concerns over possible implications for the nearby Peretola airport development.

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