After nearly two decades of dominating the aesthetically challenged skyline of Florence and unintentionally appearing in countless postcards and selfies, a 60-meter-tall crane will finally be dismantled.
Installed in 2006 in front of the famous Uffizi museum for expansion works, the crane had meanwhile become a symbol of Italy’s slow bureaucracy and a presence mocked on social media.
The crane, nicknamed by locals and tourists as the "metal monster," was initially placed to assist in transporting materials for the Uffizi Galleries' expansion project, as reported by The Guardian.
However, as the works stagnated, the crane remained there, useless and unincorporated into the harmonious landscape of the Renaissance city.
A Crane Turned Meme and National Shame
Over the years, its presence has been ridiculed: it appeared in a dedicated Instagram account created to follow its "adventures" and became a perfect symbol of typical Italian administrative bottlenecks.
Many visitors complained that it "ruined" their holiday photos, inevitably appearing in the background of every panorama.
The high dismantling costs and the multitude of approvals required had long hindered the removal of the crane.
Finally, a few local entrepreneurs responded to the call made by the exasperated director of the Uffizi, Simone Verde, and financed the dismantling.
Celebration on the Loggia dei Lanzi Terrace
The dismantling will begin on June 16 and end on June 21, when an official ceremony is scheduled on the Loggia dei Lanzi Terrace.
The event is considered so important that the Italian Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, will also participate.
"The city has been waiting for this moment for a long time," said Simone Verde. "The metal monster is being removed, and the shining beauty of Florence can finally be restored."
He added that the presence of the crane was a "burden" that had for too long affected the city's spirit and hoped that this symbolic step would mark the end of a "cursed construction site."
G.P.