When enacted in 1947, the 9th Article of the Italian Constitution laid the ground for public governance of all cultural, historic and natural heritage. Since then, a series of rules and regulations followed, building on centuries-old practices in the preservation of antiquities. Finally, in 2004, the Italian government drew the draft of a comprehensive code called Codice dei beni culturali e del paesaggio, entrusting to the Ministry of Culture the task of preserving the nation’s immense legacy.
This is achieved through a series of executive departments, which include 39 branch-offices called Soprintendenze Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio.Located strategically throughout the country, each Soprintendenza exercises direct curatorship over archeological sites and collections, public and privately owned historic monuments and buildings, works of art and collections, intangible heritage, urban and natural landscapes. However, curatorship over state-run museum collections – such as that of the Uffizi Galleries – are excluded from the Soprintendenza’s duties.
You have just reached the website of the Soprintendenza for the cultural, historic and natural heritage of Florence and environs and of the cities of Pistoia and Prato and their provinces. Our aim is to provide conservation and public enjoyment of the heritage over which we have authority. Our staff would be pleased to assist you, should you be owners of a historic building, important artwork or land declared national treasures (or beni culturali) or whether you are interested in the fields of heritage Education and Research.
In order to offer a user-friendly website for non-Italian speakers, we have chosen to display the most relevant procedures that are carried daily. We also provide necessary forms for citizens to fill out and send in order to obtain the services required and comply with legal procedures related to the conservation of cultural heritage.
Main services provided regard: assessment of the cultural value of historic buildings and works of art and permits for their restoration or modifications; sales and loans of national treasures; tax deductions; protection of archaeological findings; exhibition loans nationwide and abroad; import-export of art works and antiquities.
Our office is also leader or partner in a series of conservation projects in Italy and abroad and conducts archaeological research, results of which serve as content for numerous publications and reviews, such as Tutela&Restauro and the series Quaderni del Servizio educativo.
In order to contact local archaeologists, architects, art historians, or restorers, please see the List of cities/towns, in alphabetical order.
In the List of the offices open to the public, please note the Loans and Exhibitions Office and the Import-Export Office. Part of the forms and information provided are in English.
The complete staff section can be found in Contacts.
Set of forms and rules regarding compliance can be found in the List of forms and regulations.
For further information, please write to: sabap-fi@cultura.gov.it
Please note: the email address sabap-fi@pec.cultura.gov.it listed in Contacts is the address for Italian legal mail (where PEC stands for Posta Elettronica Certificata). You need a PEC address to send such emails. Otherwise, please address all enquiries to the standard email address listed above.