Witness History The flooding of Florence
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Feb 13, 2026 Antonina Bargellini, 22 at the time and daughter of Florence’s mayor, recalls the 1966 flood from first‑hand memory. She describes waking to streets turned to rivers, the eerie silence after waters fell, and the choking mud and stench that followed. She also remembers international aid, Franco Zeffirelli’s spotlight, and the young volunteers who rescued art and books.
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Waking To A City Turned Into A Lake
- Antonina Bargellini woke to find her garden replaced by a lake and cars being dragged through the streets by the Arno's floodwaters.
- She describes a terrifying, chaotic morning when doors were ripped off and people couldn't understand what was happening.
Upstream Rain And Releases Amplified The Flood
- Heavy autumn storms dumped a third of the region's annual rain in 24 hours, forcing dams to release water and swelling the Arno.
- The flood moved through Florence at up to 70 km/h, showing how upstream management choices amplified downstream disaster.
Mud, Sewage And A City Without Clean Water
- As waters receded, Florence found itself under deep, stinking mud and sewage with broken sewers and diesel smells.
- Antonina recalls people struggling to walk, and the paradox of having no clean water for days despite the flood.