Vinci Tour: In the Footsteps of Leonardo

Inside the church you can admire the baptismal font where Leonardo da Vinci was baptized in 1452 by the parish priest Piero di Bartolomeo Cecchi. This was inserted into the church in 1952, giving life to the Baptistery of Leonardo which is located at the entrance on the right, designed by Ugo Giulio and with an octagonal plan. It is also possible to read the words that grandfather Antonio wrote down on a notebook at the birth of his grandson, and which is now preserved in the State Archives of Florence.

Our journey begins at the Museo Leonardiano, based in 2 different buildings.
The Palazzina Uzielli houses the sections dedicated to building-site machinery, textile manufacturing technology and mechanical clocks.
The Castle of Guidi counts, a medieval building, symbol of the city of Vinci and the original home of the collection since 1953, houses on the ground floor the sections devoted to civil engineering, war machines, flight, mechanisms and tools. Going up to the first floor, there’s the magnificent Sala del Podestà, finally the section to Il Disegno anatomico di Leonardo al tempo del Salvador Mundi and for fluvial navigation.

The didactic exhibition hosts full scale, HD reproductions of all Leonardo’s paintings and of some of his drawings, making the visitors breathtakingly feel that they are facing all Da Vinci’s masterpieces, gathered in one place. The reproductions of the works of art allow a fascinating overview of Leonardo’s pictorial journey, while educational installations and videos suggest interesting insights into the works themselves.

A short drive or a scenic walk through the Tuscan countryside leads us to Anchiano, where Leonardo was born in 1452. His birthplace, a simple stone farmhouse, has been transformed into a multimedia exhibition space, where you can learn more about his early years and artistic development.