In the densest and most ancient heart of Florence, between Via dei Cimatori and Via dei Cerchi, just steps from Piazza della Signoria, the Teatro Nazionale today reopens its doors to the city through the restoration of a delicate, introverted architecture, rich with memory and recollection. For centuries, its walls—occupying an entire city block behind the “canto” of Quarconia—have preserved both the popular and cultivated voice of the city, hosting performances, celebrations, and gatherings, and giving birth to Stenterello, the witty and ironic mask that shaped the identity of Florentine theater.

In this intimate place, originally known as the “Teatro della Quarconia,” then the “Teatro del Giglio”– in homage to the flower symbol of the city – later the “Teatro Leopoldo,” and finally the “Teatro Nazionale,” the city seems to have held its breath for decades, a kind of apnea and abandonment in which time had ceased to flow. For more than thirty years the theater lay in silence, wounded and forgotten. The roof threatened collapse, the interiors were invaded by pigeon droppings, and the wooden elements were warped by time and humidity.

In one of the most precious areas of the historic center, a fragment of Florence’s civic soul seemed lost. Restoring it to life means reweaving an interrupted dialogue between the city and its own voice. To celebrate this moment, a book has also been produced, gathering the history, images, and memories of the Teatro Nazionale, offering the city a complete account of its rebirth.

Laura Andreini is an architect and Professor of Architectural Composition at the University of Florence, where she graduated with top honors and earned her PhD. In 1988, she founded the firm Archea, which is now active in Italy and internationally. Since 2003, she has served as deputy editor of the magazine area, and since 2018 she has curated the Paradigma series for the Museo Novecento in Florence. Since 2012, she has been the editorial director of Forma Edizioni. Since 2022, she has been president of the cultural association Rifugio Digitale. She also carries out an extensive program of research and dissemination focused on contemporary architecture.