Michelangelo Buonarroti, one of the greatest artists in history, was born on March 6, 1475, in Caprese Michelangelo, a small village nestled among the rolling hills of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. His father, Messer Ludovico Buonarroti, of noble lineage but struggling financially, had moved there with his wife, Francesca di Neri del Miniato del Sera, who was expecting their second child. And so, in this remote corner of Tuscany, amid the first colors of spring, the genius who would forever change the face of art was born.
A few months later, the family returned to Florence, settling in Via dei Bentaccordi, near Piazza Santa Croce, on the ancient ruins of a Roman amphitheater. However, Michelangelo’s early years were marked by an experience that would shape his destiny: he was entrusted to a wet nurse in Settignano, the daughter and wife of stonecutters. Later in life, he would often say that he had absorbed his love for stone and marble through her milk.
Casa Buonarroti: The Beating Heart of Michelangelo’s Legacy
What we now call Casa Buonarroti is not the house where the artist spent his youth, but it is a place rich in history and charm. It preserves the memory of Michelangelo and his family, a lineage of intellectuals and men of culture who, for centuries, played a significant role in Florence’s Renaissance scene.
Aware of the importance of his name, Michelangelo purchased several apartments on Via Ghibellina in the 16th century, intending to transform them into a grand palace that would celebrate the greatness of the Buonarroti family. However, fate led him to leave Florence for Rome in 1534, never to see his vision realized. It was only thanks to his descendants, particularly Michelangelo the Younger, that the project came to life in the 17th century, turning Casa Buonarroti into a symbol of the family’s artistic and cultural legacy.
A Hidden Treasure in the Heart of Florence
Today, Casa Buonarroti is much more than a museum—it is an emotional journey through the life and art of Michelangelo. It houses extraordinary masterpieces such as The Battle of the Centaurs and Madonna of the Stairs, early works that reveal the artist’s precocious talent. The Gallery, with its ceilings and walls adorned by frescoes painted by the greatest Florentine masters of the 17th century, stands as a tribute to his genius. In the Room of Day and Night, frescoed portraits of the Buonarroti family members keep their memory alive, testifying to an immortal heritage.
Casa Buonarroti is not a destination for mass tourism, but it is a treasure trove for lovers of art and history. Here, you can breathe in Michelangelo’s essence, surrounded by his rare drawings, sculptures, and the traces of a life dedicated to beauty. A hidden gem in the heart of Florence, where time seems to stand still, whispering the story of a man who defied the centuries with his genius.
