Anna Maria Luisa de Medici, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, last heir of the Medici family died in Florence, February 18th  1743. The city has decided to remember the Electress Palatine, that has been so important for Florence, in a very special way.
On the facade of San Lorenzo Basilica you'll be able to see the project that Michelangelo had thought for this church.

Pope Leo X (Medici) asked the great Michelangelo a project for his "family church" that had (as it has today) a not finished facade.
Michelangelo made the project, then made a wooden model to present to Leo – to be seen today at Casa Buonarroti Museum - and then even personally had to choose the white marbles he had to use in the decoration of the facade.
However the works proceeded slowly especially because the pope had economical problems ( the cost of the facade was estimated at tens millions of today's Euros), and because of the difficulties of having the marble.
The pope did not want to use the Carrara marbels. He preferred the Serravezza ones because this village and its marble was in the Florentine State and so under his control. So Michelangelo even had to build a way in order to be able to bring marbles down to the sea! So, unfortunatelly, the project became too expensive and was abandoned.  Anna Maria Luisa de Medici wanted to take over Michelangelo's project but did not have time to  accomplish it.

On the occasion of the celebration in memory of the Grand Duchess it will be possible to see Michelangelo's facade thank to a modern system of projection and lighting.

So do all come to San Lorenzo to enjoy this show Feb 18th and 20th from 9.00 p.m. till 11.30 p.m.