Giotto’s Bell Tower in Florence to undergo first complete restoration in its history

A major restoration and redevelopment plan is under way in Piazza del Duomo in Florence, involving three key buildings managed by the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore.

From March 9, 2026, work will begin on the first full restoration of the Giotto’s Bell Tower, while restoration of the historic Collegio Eugeniano is nearing completion. At the same time, expansion works continue at the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo.

According to the Opera, the combined investment for the three projects exceeds €60 million.

The restoration will begin on March 9, 2026

The restoration of Giotto’s Bell Tower will begin on March 9, 2026 and is expected to last about four years. The total cost is estimated at over €7 million, fully financed by the Opera.

Although the tower has undergone various partial interventions since 1939, this will be the first time that the monument is restored in its entirety.

The project includes the installation of a specially engineered scaffold, designed to minimise visual impact and to allow visitors to continue climbing the tower during works. The structure will be erected over four months, with completion expected by mid-July 2026.

Restoration will proceed in phases, starting from the top and gradually moving downward. As each section is completed, the scaffold will be lowered, revealing the restored surfaces.

Why restoration is needed

The intervention has been described as urgent due to significant deterioration of the external marble cladding, particularly on projecting elements of the upper terrace and decorative features.

The bell tower, begun in 1334 under Giotto and completed in 1359, stands 85 metres tall and is the third-highest building in Florence after Brunelleschi’s Dome and Palazzo Vecchio’s tower. It is clad in white marble, green Prato marble and red Cintoia marble and is one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.

For residents and visitors, the Opera has stated that the internal route, including the panoramic terrace reached by climbing 414 steps, will remain accessible throughout the works.

Collegio Eugeniano: restoration nearing completion

Restoration of the Collegio Eugeniano, in Via dello Studio near Piazza del Duomo, is expected to be completed by the end of February 2026.

The 1,600-square-metre building will become the new headquarters of the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore. Offices and staff facilities are scheduled to move there by June 2026.

The restoration, financed entirely by the Opera with an investment of €13 million, began in September 2023.

The building combines two historical structures: a 14th-century wing originally built by the Florentine Republic for the Studium Generalis, Florence’s first university, and a 17th-century section that housed the Piarist Fathers, a religious order devoted to education. Over the centuries, the structures were gradually merged into a single multi-storey palace.

In 2012, a structural assessment commissioned by the Opera identified serious safety concerns, leading to the building’s closure until major consolidation works could be undertaken.

Expansion of the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo

Work is also continuing on the expansion of the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo following the acquisition of the adjacent Palazzo Compagni in 2023.

The project will nearly double the museum’s size, from approximately 6,000 square metres to around 11,000 square metres. Completion is scheduled for 2030.

The expansion will create a more coherent visitor route and add new facilities, including:

• spaces for temporary exhibitions
• a conference hall
• a café with a garden
• additional visitor services

The overall investment for the acquisition of Palazzo Compagni and the redevelopment of the museum is estimated at €39 million, excluding the cost of restoring artworks that will be added to the collection.

The project has been commissioned to the Florence-based architectural firm Guicciardini & Magni Architetti, which previously worked on the existing museum together with architect Adolfo Natalini.

Real estate policy and housing plans in the historic centre

Beyond conservation works, the Opera has also outlined a broader real estate strategy.

With the relocation of its headquarters to the Collegio Eugeniano, approximately 1,500 square metres of currently occupied space will be freed. These areas are expected to be converted into 17 residential and commercial units.

The Opera has indicated that it is open to acquiring additional historic buildings in Florence with the aim of maintaining residential use in the historic centre, an area that has seen increasing pressure from tourism-related property markets in recent years.

What this means for Florence

For residents, the projects signal a long-term commitment to maintaining the structural safety and conservation of Florence’s most visited religious complex.

For visitors, access to Giotto’s Bell Tower is expected to continue throughout the works, although there may be temporary adjustments during scaffold installation.

Taken together, the three projects represent one of the largest coordinated conservation investments in the Piazza del Duomo area in recent years, combining monument restoration, museum expansion and adaptive reuse of historic buildings.

According to the official press release issued on February 19, 2026, the Opera will provide ongoing updates on its website as works progress.

(Cover photo by Vincenzo Inzone via Unsplash)

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