Stanza Segreta di Michelangelo
In the summer of 1530, when Michelangelo was in his mid-50s, he went into hiding in San Lorenzo for political reasons. Some experts believe he may have spent those few months under the Cappelle Medicee in this 33x10x8-foot room with a tiny window facing Via del Canto dei Nelli. In 1975, charcoal and red chalk drawings were discovered under a plaster wall here. It wasn't until 2023, though, that the room was opened to the public. For reasons of conservation, access is limited to just 100 people per week, with groups of no more than four at a time allowed in for just 15 minutes. The requisite reservations ( www.b-ticket.com/b-Ticket/uffizi) for these slots tend to sell out months in advance, so plan accordingly.
As you step through an open trapdoor and gingerly walk down a narrow set of stairs, the impact is high, and 15 minutes isn't nearly enough time to fully examine about a dozen human figures as they twist and turn with passion across the arched walls. Scholars attribute some of these works to Michelangelo. In the New Sacristy above, compare them to the artist's sculptures on the tombs, particularly that of Giuliano de Medici, Duke of Nemours, and see what you think.
