Abstract: A rotary hearth finish annealing furnace includes coil tables carrying thereon steel plate coils to be annealed with their axes being vertical, a hearth traveling along a circle having a predetermined radius and supporting thereabove the coil tables, inner covers covering the coils on the coil tables, and a protective cover covering the above members over a predetermined distance.According to the invention, heating means for heating the coils are arranged at a level above upper ends of the steel plate coils. In a preferred embodiment, the coil tables are arranged so as to permit the coils to be arranged thereon in at least two circular rows on a single plane concentric to said traveling circle of the hearth. Moreover, portions of the hearth subjected to loads of the coils and coil tables are made of comparatively high strength bricks and the other portions are made of a light weight refractory material.