Spedale degli Innocenti

Why go

The long loggia joins architectural clarity to a social mission. Brunelleschi supervised the first building phase from 1419 to 1427; later additions extended the façade, while the institution cared for abandoned children and taught them skills for adult life there.

What to look for

• Read the loggia as the earliest phase of a building enlarged over several decades.
• Notice how the later attic and southern bay extend Brunelleschi’s original scheme.
• Look for the roundels; one inspired the insignia of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Useful to know

• Study the façade from Piazza Santissima Annunziata before deciding whether to visit the separate museum.
• Pair the exterior with the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata across the same square.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.