On Piazza di San Giovanni, beside Florence’s Baptistery, the Loggia del Bigallo is a medieval Gothic building that once housed charitable brotherhoods. Its Museo del Bigallo traces their work through art and objects from the 13th to 16th centuries. Look up at the reliefs of prophets and angels on the arches, then find Alberto Arnoldi’s Madonna and Child above the side entrance. It’s a compact stop for understanding how Florence’s charitable institutions cared for people in need.
A loggia shaped by charitable work
The Loggia del Bigallo stands in Piazza di San Giovanni, opposite the south portal of the Baptistery. Built in the 14th century, it was associated with the Compagnia della Misericordia, a brotherhood that cared for people in need. Its work included transporting the sick, burying indigent people who had died and caring for orphans. The open loggia also sheltered lost children and infants left in the brotherhood’s care.
The Compagnia di Santa Maria del Bigallo had its own charitable work, including housing for poor people and care for pilgrims and travellers. The two organizations merged in 1425, after financial irregularities prompted authorities to reorganize them. The Bigallo’s work gradually became more prominent.
Gothic details and museum collection
The building’s arches and carved decoration make the loggia worth pausing to examine. Reliefs of prophets and angels decorate the arches. Above the side entrance, a lunette holds Alberto Arnoldi’s Madonna and Child. The building’s historic role is also reflected inside: the Museo del Bigallo displays artworks and objects connected with the brotherhoods and Florence’s charitable history, spanning the 13th to 16th centuries. The collection includes religious and historical works, including paintings depicting the brotherhood’s life.
FAQ
Where is the Loggia del Bigallo?
It is in Piazza di San Giovanni in Florence, opposite the south portal of the Baptistery.
What can you see at the Loggia del Bigallo?
The building has Gothic arches with reliefs of prophets and angels, and a Madonna and Child by Alberto Arnoldi above the side entrance. Its museum displays artworks and objects related to the city’s charitable brotherhoods.
What was the Loggia del Bigallo used for?
It was associated with charitable brotherhoods that cared for sick and poor people, orphans, pilgrims and travellers. The open loggia also sheltered lost children and abandoned infants.
