From June 24 to October 16, Forte Belvedere returns to the heart of Florence’s summer cultural scene with “Belvedere Firenze”: contemporary art, live music, talks, and guided tours across more than 30 events held in the Palazzina, along the ramparts, and on the terraces.
From June 24 to October 16, 2026, Florence’s Forte Belvedere will once again become one of the city’s hubs for summer cultural programming with the new Belvedere Firenze project, which combines contemporary art, music, public events, guided tours, and cultural outreach activities. More than thirty events make up a calendar designed to restore the Medici complex to regular public use, combining the promotion of its historical heritage with a multidisciplinary program.
The initiative is sponsored by the City of Florence and organized by the MUS.E Foundation, which has managed the Fort’s spaces since 2025. The 2026 program is part of a strategy to revitalize the complex as a public space, with activities spanning the site’s various areas, from the Palazzina to the panoramic terraces and outdoor spaces. The exhibition program opens with the project *Drama: Four Acts*, curated by Sergio Risaliti, structured as a journey in four stages. The first act begins on June 24 with Paolo Canevari’s exhibition *God Year*, on view on the first floor of the Palazzina. The second event is scheduled for July 16 with *No Heroes*, which presents a selection of bronze sculptures by Marino Marini, a central figure in 20th-century art. Marini’s works will enter into dialogue with those of Canevari, giving rise to an exhibition conceived in a dramatic key. The third phase of the exhibition project is scheduled for September and will feature a site-specific installation by Norwegian artist Per Barclay, titled *Oscuro Abbagliante*. In this phase as well, Marino Marini’s works will be placed in relation to the contemporary installation. The exhibition experience is rounded out by a sound installation by Friedrich Andreoni, located on the bastion overlooking Florence, designed to enhance the visitor’s experience.
Alongside the exhibition program, the Fort hosts the “Forte in Musica” music series, which runs throughout the summer season with concerts and live performances. The schedule kicks off on June 24 with Monica Salmaso, joined by Teco Cardoso and Nelson Ayres. Among the many events are Francesco Cangi & Masneo on July 1, DJ Barta on July 3, Daniele di Bonaventura and Peo Alfonsi on July 8, Riccardo Tesi on July 15, Don Antonio on July 22, Michela Lombardi on July 29, Alta Madera on August 5, Glenn Ferris and Giulio Stracciati on August 26, Petra Magoni and Ottolini on September 2, leading up to events in September and October that include projects related to jazz, world music, Italian singer-songwriters, and original productions.
Running in parallel is the series of talks titled “L’attualità del bello”(The Relevance of Beauty), dedicated to contemporary issues through discussions with journalists, writers, scholars, and artists. The program features, among others, Venanzio Postiglione, Fra Paolo Benanti, Luca Ward, Nicoletta Verna, Matteo Pucciarelli, Claudio Cerasa, Vittorio Lingiardi, and Serena Bortone, as well as sessions focused on research, economics, and contemporary languages. A closing event is also planned, dedicated to a research project on the history of vegetable gardens and vineyards in Florence from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
The cultural outreach and education activities, organized by the MUS.E Foundation, round out the program with guided tours scheduled every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The tours cover the history of the Fort, built in the late 16th century at the behest of Grand Duke Ferdinando I de’ Medici, and provide an in-depth look at the current exhibitions, including works by Canevari, Marini, and Barclay. The program also includes a project aimed at young people, carried out in collaboration with Unicoop Firenze as part of the “Youth and Museums” series, which involves participation in a co-design process to develop a cultural initiative dedicated to the 19–30 age group. Rounding out the offerings is the Forte’s panoramic café, accessible even without a museum tour, designed as a space to relax and take in the cityscape.
Statements
“One of Florence’s most extraordinary and iconic landmarks reopens on June 24: it has been under the management of the MUS Foundation since last year.And Forte Belvedere returns to the city with an ambitious and varied cultural program that aims to highlight this unique space and make it increasingly open, welcoming, vibrant, and a place where people can truly engage,” said Mayor Sara Funaro. “The program that is now launching fully embodies our vision of culture: accessible, multidisciplinary, and capable of engaging diverse audiences. The scheduled exhibitions will focus on deeply relevant themes such as memory, conflict, and collective responsibility, offering new perspectives on our present. There will also be high-quality concerts, meetings with journalists, writers, and scholars, and cultural outreach activities—in short, a rich and multifaceted program that will once again make the Fort a place to experience and visit every day. “This project highlights every space within the complex—from the Palazzina to the panoramic terraces—and reinforces Forte Belvedere’s role as a public space for gathering, dialogue, and cultural growth.”
“Forte Belvedere is once again becoming one of the iconic venues of Florence’s cultural summer—a unique space where the city’s extraordinary historical legacy meets contemporary art, music, thought, and participation,” stated Giovanni Bettarini, Councilor for Culture. “This year’s program fully captures the essence of this place: not a monument to be observed, but a public space to be experienced, capable of embracing diverse voices, different generations, and various forms of cultural expression. At a time when there is an ever-greater need for places that foster encounters, dialogue, and sharing, Belvedere Firenze 2026 presents itself as a true cultural square open to the city and its visitors. It is an investment in the quality of cultural offerings, in the enhancement of our heritage, and in Florence’s ability to be, at the same time, both the guardian of its own history and a laboratory of contemporary culture.”
 |
| Florence: Forte Belvedere Reopens with Four Months of Exhibitions, Music, and Events |
Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools.
We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can
find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.finestresullarte.info ’
