One of the last quiet spots in tourist-saturated Florence is a cloister adjoining the Basilica of Santo Spirito, the residence of Augustinian friars whose predecessors arrived in the 13th century. Michelangelo lived here for more than a year, and a crucifix attributed to him hangs in the sacristy. This oasis of tranquillity is now the focus of a noisy confrontation. Several floors in buildings around the cloister belong to the Ministry of Defence, which once used them to store documents. In 2021 the ministry tendered a contract to restore the property. The winning (and only) bid came from a firm that plans to convert it into private care homes for the elderly. But no one told the friars.