The history

The Granary of Abundance was built by the architect Giovan Battista Foggini for Grand Duke Cosimo III de’ Medici in 1695.

It was used to store grain against periods of famine, and thanks to a meticulous restoration project you can still admire the Medici grain stores that it houses. The Medici coat-of-arms is displayed on the façade overlooking Piazza di Cestello.

The building was owned by the Italian Army for several decades. Known as the “Cavalli Barracks”, it was where Florentines went for many years for their medical before enlisting.

Thanks to an urban regeneration project, the Fondazione CR Firenze has now transformed the Granary of Abundance into its Innovation Centre, a driving force for innovation and economic development catalysing resources and talents. Work got under way in 2017 and the digital culture centre started to operate in September 2020. The Auditorium and The Stellar Restaurant have been open to the public since 2021, while the 42 Firenze coding school opened its doors in 2022.