Leonardo da Vinci, versatile genius from Tuscany

Leonardo da Vinci breathed his last on May 2, 1519, at Clos Lucé castle in Amboise, France. He is also buried in this town located in central France. In 2019, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Leonardo's death, his genius, artworks, and inventions were extensively commemorated. Not only in Tuscany but throughout the world, attention was paid to Leonardo da Vinci as an inventor, artist, sculptor, engineer, architect, botanist, and founder of modern anatomy through exhibitions, tours, walks, events, and interactive displays.

View a walking route here that you can follow in Tuscany, near Anchiano, the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo da Vinci in The Louvre

Upon his death in 1519, Leonardo da Vinci left behind three works of art: John the Baptist, Mary with Child, and Saint Anne (also known as Anne with the Three), as well as a painting depicting a certain lady from Florence, the Mona Lisa. These artworks eventually ended up in the Louvre in Paris. To mark the 500th anniversary of his death, the Louvre pulled out all the stops in 2019 with an impressive exhibition about Leonardo da Vinci. The exhibition attracted more than 1 million visitors, demonstrating that Leonardo da Vinci continues to capture the imagination.

Leonardo da Vinci on the silver screen

You can now view this exhibition in peace and quiet in the cinema: A Night at the Louvre, Leonardo da Vinci has been showing at Pathé since September 16. Exclusive footage of the exhibition at the Louvre, in the form of a private tour. You can not only view the artworks up close but also gain insight into Leonardo's extraordinary painting techniques.

Leonardo da Vinci in Tuscany

If you are in Tuscany, you can of course also delve into the life of Leonardo da Vinci, who was far ahead of his time. In Vinci, they are naturally proud of their famous Renaissance man. You will find his birthplace in Anchiano, which you can walk to from Vinci along the Strada Verde in about 25 minutes. In Vinci itself stands the Leonardo da Vinci Museum. The museum is housed in two buildings: the Palazzina Uzielli and the Castello dei Conti Guidi. There you will find all kinds of reconstructed models based on his sketches and dedicated to his work as an engineer and scientist, such as war machines and machine tools, as well as his detailed studies of the human body. From the terrace of the Castello, you have a beautiful view of the Montalbano, which also inspired Leonardo.

In Florence, you can visit the Leonardo da Vinci Interactive Museum . It is a small but delightful museum where you can admire approximately 50 replicas of Leonardo's works. Their operation is explained, and you can also try them out yourself. It is also suitable for a visit with children. The museum is located at Via de Servi 66, near the Galleria dell'Accademia. If you prefer not to stand in line for a ticket, book your skip-the-line ticket here.

Another museum where you can see reconstructed scale models and full-size models based on Leonardo's original drawings is the Leonardo da Vinci Museum , a private museum owned by the Niccolai family. You can find the museum near the Duomo, at 21 Via Cavour in Florence.

If you want to see works by Leonardo that he actually created himself, you can visit the Uffizi Museum in Florence, where two of the 17 surviving paintings can be admired: The Annunciation and The Adoration of the Magi. The Uffizi Museum is, of course, a must-see if you are in Florence.

“Una volta che abbiate conosciuto il volo camminerete sulla terra guardando il cielo, perché là siete stati e là desidererete tornare.” / “Once you have known flight, you walk across the earth while looking at the sky, for you have been there and you want to return there.”

Leonardo da Vinci