THE 1966 FLOOD OF THE ARNO, DESOLATION IN FLORENCE

The Grandma continues her recovery. Reading is always healthy and entertaining because you learn. Today, she has been reading about the flood that devastated Florence on a day like today in 1966.

The 1966 flood of the Arno, in Italian Alluvione di Firenze del 4 novembre 1966, in Florence killed 35 people and damaged or destroyed millions of masterpieces of art and rare books. It is considered the worst flood in the city's history since 1557. With the combined effort of Italian and foreign volunteers alike, or angeli del fango (Mud Angels), many of these fine works have been restored. New methods in conservation were devised and restoration laboratories established. However, even decades later, much work remains to be done.

Located in the Tuscany region of Central Italy, the river Arno is approximately 240 kilometres long. It flows from the Mount Falterona hills of the Apennine Mountains to the Ligurian Sea, just 11 kilometres west of Pisa. Lush vineyards and olive groves line the river's scenic course to the west, out to sea. Principally utilized for irrigation purposes, only 32 kilometres of the river is used for navigation.

The highest flows of the river generally occur in spring and autumn of every year, when rainfall in the Apennines is at its greatest. The intensity of the 1966 flood was further increased by both the topography of the Apennines, which contributed to the high run-off rates and river discharges, and urban development. Roads, such as the Via dei Calzaiuoli, served as narrow channels for floodwaters, allowing for their greater speed and destruction within the city; bridges, on the other hand, hindered river flow where it was needed, allowing water to pour over the floodplain with great force.

The flood has had a lasting impact on Florence, economically and culturally. City officials and citizens were unprepared for the storm and the widespread devastation that it caused. There were virtually no emergency measures in place, at least partially because Florence is located in an area where the frequency of flooding is relatively low. In fact, approximately 90% of the city's population were completely unaware of the imminent disaster.

Residents were set to celebrate their country's World War I victory over Austria on 4 November, Armed Forces Day. In commemoration, businesses were closed and many of their employees were out of town for the public holiday. While many lives were likely spared as a result, the locked buildings greatly inhibited the salvaging of valuable materials from numerous institutions and shops, with the exception of a number of jewellery stores whose owners were warned by their nightwatchmen.

5,000 families were left homeless by the storm, and 6,000 stores were forced out of business. Approximately 600,000 tons of mud, rubble and sewage severely damaged or destroyed numerous collections of books, manuscripts and fine art. 

It is estimated that between 3 and 4 million books and manuscripts were damaged, as well as 14,000 movable works of ar.

Artist Marco Sassone, in a 1969 interview, recalled the impact of the flood on Florence's residents: The only thing you could do was watch and be helpless. Nature was master...the women became crazy with fear. They began throwing things from the windows and screaming 'who is going to save my children?' It was reported that 101 people lost their lives in the flood waters.

-Archives of the Opera del Duomo (Archivio di Opera del Duomo): 6,000 volumes of documents and 55 illuminated manuscripts were damaged.

-Gabinetto Vieusseux Library (Biblioteca del Gabinetto Vieusseux): All 250,000 volumes were damaged, including titles of romantic literature and Risorgimento history; submerged in water, they became swollen and distorted. Pages, separated from their text blocks, were found pressed upon the walls and ceiling of the building.

-National Central Library (Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale Firenze): Located alongside the Arno, the National Library was cut off from the rest of the city by the flood. 1,300,000 items (a third of their holdings) were damaged, including prints, maps, posters, newspapers and a majority of works in the Palatine and Magliabechi collections.

-The State Archives (Archivio di Stato): Roughly 40% of the collection was damaged, including property and financial records; birth, marriage and death records; judicial and administrative documents; and police records, among others.

-Library and Archive of the Italian Unification (Biblioteca e Archivio del Risorgimento): 7,000 volumes were inundated. The facility and collections were restored and the Library and Archive reopened in 1969.

-Academy of Agriculturists (Accademia dei Georgofili)

-Historic Institute of the Resistance (Istituto Storico della Resistenza)

-Hospital of the Innocents (Ospedale degli Innocenti)

-Institute and Museum of the History of Science (Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza)

-Uffizi Gallery

-Book shops and antique book dealers, many in possession of rare materials

-Numerous private collections

-The collections of numerous churches and cathedrals

Regional officials in Tuscany are responsible for organizing a massive project, the purpose of which is to not only protect the area from future flooding but to maintain high water quality and effectively utilize water resources.

Work commenced in 1984, with the construction of the Bilancino Dam, near Florence. The Sieve tributary and spillway at Pontedera are among other developments. The national government has funded a majority of these various subprojects, with the city of Florence being the primary recipient of the money.

More information: The Guardian

Like air pollution, flood risk is a threat 
that government should be protecting us against.

Barry Gardiner