Florence News & Events Summer Edition 2015 by FLORENCENEWSEVENTS

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Summer Edition 2015

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Uffizi, Accademia and Bargello Open on Saturday Evenings

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Florence Dance Festival Returns to the Bargello

A Guide to Surviving the Summer Heat

BEAT THE HEAT Chill out with summer events

Summer 2015 is shaping up to be the hottest of the past 30 years. Luckily, Florence and Tuscany’s festival program can help to ease the weight, with an upbeat range of art, theater and music events scheduled throughout the season. Three of the city’s most important museums – the Uffizi Gallery, Accademia and National Bargello Museum – offer cool respite with a cultural flavor on Saturday nights, with extended opening hours lasting till 11 p.m.

until December 19. Headline exhibitions this summer include a showcase of Piero di Cosimo at the Uffizi and a homage to Armenian-born artist Gregorio Sciltian at Villa Bardini Museum, while twentieth-century British sculptor Lynn Chadwick is commemorated with sculpture walks at Villa Bardini Gardens. Estate al Bargello, a festival of theater, music and dance that takes place in the Bargello’s historic courtyard until September

22, also sees the return of Florence Dance Festival, featuring Florence Dance Company’s Divina.com, from July 9–30. Music takes center-stage in Tuscany throughout July, as Bob Dylan, Billy Idol and Lenny Kravitz appear on stage at Lucca Summer Festival, while Carlo Santana and Sting perform at Pistoia Blues Festival. Jazz lovers can find Florentine pianist Stefano Bollani amidst the national and international talent featuring at Fiesole’s an-

nual festival Estate Fiesolana, which takes place in the spectacular setting of the city’s Roman theater and, for the first time in 2015, its Roman baths, together with theater, dance, and contemporary and classical music performances. It’s not just the weather heating up over the summer: the second edition of the Siena Palio takes off on August 16 in a spectacle of dust, sweat and local rivalry, following hot on the heels of the first race on July 2.

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‘Fairytale’ Piero di Cosimo at the Uffizi

Villa Bardini Showcases The Illusion of Sciltian

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Lorenzo Picchi PROOFREADERS: Lucy David, Asli Kangal GR APHIC & W EB DESIGN: Naz Kangal CONTRIBUTORS: Christie Ann Barakat, Marine Le Canne, Lee Foust, Marianna Jaross, Avani Kapur, Mark Massey, Mackenzie McKey, Leah Meyers, Angela Oberer, Phillippa Norton, Ivana Scatola, Olivia Turchi. PUBLISHER: IAF PRINT: Rotostampa SRL Via B. Buozzi 21, 50145, Firenze REGISTERED AT THE TRIBUNALE DI FIRENZE No. 5801, 3/11/2010

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Asli Kangal The Uffizi Gallery features a major exhibition on Florentine Renaissance painter Piero di Cosimo until September 27. The exhibition showcases numerous works by the ‘fairytale’ artist, who worked between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, including the famed A Satyr Mourning Over a Nymph from the National Gallery in London. In total, 100 works are on display, including masterpieces by Filippino Lippi, Fra’ Bartolomeo and Lorenzo di Credi, all of which have been specially restored for the occasion. The exhibition explores Piero di Cosimo’s unique style, by tracing his artistic development starting from his apprenticeship under Cosimo Rosselli, from whom he derived his name, and his decisive encounters with the artworks of Leonardo da Vinci and

the Flemish masters. These artists inspired Piero di Cosimo to take an interest in precise reproduction of nature and the representation of emotional states, as seen by the intensity of the smiling faces in his Madonna with Child and Angels on show in the exhibition. During his lifetime, Piero di Cosimo also acquired a reputation for his eccentricity. Renaissance biographer Giorgio Vasari describes him as a solitary, unconventional painter with an untidy appearance, who was “more like a beast than a man.” The Uffizi allows visitors to rediscover the eccentric artist, too often forgotten in modern times.

Piero di Cosimo

An eccentric ‘Florentine’ painter from the Renaissance to the modern manner Until September 27 Uffizi Gallery

Marianna Jaross Villa Bardini Museum is commemorating Gregorio Sciltian’s artistic career with a major retrospective to mark the thirtieth anniversary of his death. Showcasing more than 110 artworks of the Armenian-born painter, The Illusion of Sciltian is divided into different thematic sections that critically explore the concepts behind the artist’s creative processes, which developed over a period of more than half a century. Works showcased include oil paintings, drawings, lithographic prints and theatrical sketches from collections including the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome, the Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Bergamo and the Pinacoteca Vaticana. His exceptional portraits also include those of Duke Luigi Grazzano

Visconti, Galeazzo Ciano, Eduardo and Peppino De Filippo, Ivo Pannaggi and Romeo Toninelli. Visitors are also provided with an insightful glance at objects crowding the artist’s studio. Hailed as the “creator of show paintings,” Gregorio Sciltian fled his homeland in Russia following the upheavals of the Bolshevik Revolution and arrived in Italy in 1923, where he would remain for the rest of his life. The last retrospective dedicated to the artist dates back almost 20 years to 1986, and was held at Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara.

The Illusion of Sciltian Until September 6 Villa Bardini Museum Tuesday-Sunday: 10-7 p.m. Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon of July - free guided tours of the exhibition

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Lifting the Lid on Uffizi, Accademia and Bargello Open Palazzo Pitti’s Cucinone on Saturday Evenings

Restorations open Medici kitchens

Marine Le Canne

The restoration of one of the most interesting and lesser-known parts of Palazzo Pitti, the socalled cucinone (large kitchens), is now complete. The restoration began earlier this year and cost approximately €100,000. With their fireplaces, ovens, sinks, and various utensils, the cucinone were originally built in the years between 1588 and 1599, in time for the celebrations of the marriage between Maria de’ Medici and Henry IV, King of France, and were used to prepare food for three dynasties of Italian nobility: the Medici, Lorraine, and Savoy families. In the period between 1631 and 1640, the kitchens became part of the building complex, while in the following century, the kitchen area underwent several important transformations in architecture.

After WWII they fell into disuse and slowly deteriorated, and were even used to store furniture from the Palatine Gallery. Visitors to Palazzo Pitti are now able to explore the sophisticated aspects of everyday living that took place in its grand rooms and monumental apartments. With the restoration complete, it is possible to envision the work that went on to prepare dinners for the Grand Duke and his guests, and view the utensils that were commonly used in different eras. The opening is part of Polo Museale Fiorentino’s series of exhibitions commemorating the Milan Expo theme of ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’ with a focus on Florentine and Tuscan culinary heritage. The cucinone are open from Tuesday to Sunday (10:30–11:30 a.m. and 3:30–4:40 p.m.) on tours guided by museum personnel.

Free Uffizi guided tours of the Contini Bonacossi Collection The Uffizi Gallery, Accademia and the National Bargello Museum are now opening their doors to visitors for nocturnal gallery-gazing from 7–11 p.m. every Saturday evening until December 19. The Uffizi Gallery is also offering free guided visits to the Contini Bonacossi Collection and the former church of San Pier Scheraggio over the summer. The Contini Bonacossi Collection features works collected by Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi (1878–1955). It was donated to the Italian government in 1969 and contains masterpieces by famous Tuscan artists, such as Cimabue, Agnolo Gaddi and Andrea del Castagno, in addition to artwork by European and Italian artists, including Francisco Goya

and El Greco, Veronese, Tintoretto and Bernini. The collection’s pieces range from painting and sculpture to majolica ceramics, Della Robbia crests and wedding chests. Notable works include one of two Bernini marble sculptures in Florence portraying the martyrdom of St Lawrence, Andrea del Castagno’s Virgin Mary with Child and Saints, Bellini’s St Jerome and Sassetta’s Our Lady of the Snow. Free guided visits are offered every Wednesday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. until August 12. San Pier Scheraggio church was one of Florence’s main churches in the past, home to numerous works of art and frequented by famous Florentine personalities including Dante and Boccaccio. Consecrated in 1068, this Roman-

esque church hosted the Madonna della Ninna (Madonna of the Lullaby) by Cimabue, after which the nearby street Via della Ninna was named. Before the building of Palazzo Vecchio, it served as the site where gonfaloniers and priors were elected to the city administration. The church became incorporated into the Uffizi complex in 1560, losing its cemetery and belltower in the process. Although it was still used for religious functions until 1782, it remained closed in subsequent centuries until restoration works in 1971 revealed its more ancient roots, including Roman frescoes. Visits are offered on Thursdays and Saturdays in the morning (10:15 and 11:30) and afternoon (2:15 and 3:30) until August 22.

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Medici Devotion on Display Renovation Plan for Piazza della Repubblica

The Medici Chapels Museum is presenting the exhibition Sacred Treasures of Medici Family Devotion. On display until November 3, the exhibition showcases the Medici family’s collection of sacred and precious objects, commissioned by Cosimo II and Maria Maddalena of Austria, which were once offered to religious sanctuaries and the state. Some of these devotional items were even offered to shrines far beyond the family’s rule in Tuscany, which include those of Loreto, the Holy Land and Goa, India. The priceless gifts, which have not been revealed to the public since 1945, include votive crowns, mounts for altars, chalices, monstrances, reliquaries, candlesticks, holy wreaths, crosses and altar panels among many other valuable pieces. Such treasures are not only indicators of the family’s unconditional devotion towards religion, but

also reflect Medici wealth, culture, taste and undisputed economic and political prestige over Tuscany as a whole. The range of precious stones skilfully worked into gold, silver, crystal and other precious materials also provide insight into the sophisticated and high level of craftsmanship achieved during the times. The exhibition, preceded by Sacred Splendor at the Medici Treasury and The Other Half of Heaven at the Casa Martelli Museum, completes the series of these three major displays dedicated to devotional themes.

One of Florence’s most important squares, Piazza della Repubblica, is planned to undergo a renovation. Talks of renovation are not new. Six years ago, former Florentine mayor and current Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, suggested the idea of a glass square, similar to Apple on New York’s Fifth Avenue. Since then, the piazza’s conditions have worsened, with paving stones becoming increasingly looser and more people considering the surrounding bars and cafes, which take up a considerable amount of space, unattractive. Now, with the transferal of the public prosecutor’s office to Novoli, the vacant 5000-square-meter building facing the square, owned

by BNL bank, will be transformed into a commercial premise. The ground floor will open Florence’s first Apple store on September 5, with Jonathan Ive, Apple’s chief design officer, expected to attend the opening. With the indemnity of €950,000 paid by BNL for such changes, with

Sculptures Also Die at the Strozzina such as bronze, stone or ceramic. These materials are revitalized and used in a conceptual manner in an attempt to recover the recent modernist past. The sculpture of the past survives today chiefly due to its ability to survive the test of time and yet bronzes often remain in a broken state, creating an impression of both durability and a certain ephemeral quality, thereby transforming our perception.

Sacred Treasures of Medici Family Devotion

Until November 3 Medici Chapels Museum Open daily: 8:15 a.m.–5 p.m. (Closed on 2nd & 4th Sunday: 1st, 3rd & 5th Monday of each month) Cost: €8; €4 reduced www.polomuseale.firenze.it

a further addition of €600,000, the city of Florence plans on beginning renovations by initially replacing the paving stones. Dario Nardella, the mayor of Florence, also plans to reinstate the King Vittorio Emanuele II monument, which was moved to Cascine Park in 1932, back into the square.

Sculptures Also Die The Centre for Contemporary Culture Strozzina is presenting the exhibition Sculptures Also Die, a reflection of contemporary sculpture that presents works by

13 Italian and international artists. The exhibition explores the way artists today are rediscovering materials that were previously dedicated to an academic sphere,

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Franciscan Art in Asia at the Accademia

Mark Massey In a joint collaboration, the Accademia Gallery and the Order of Friars Minor present an exhibition highlighting the art of the Franciscan movement between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. The exhibition also highlights the Franciscan order’s success in spreading the gospel throughout Asia. Franciscan Art: Masterpieces of Italian art and Asian lands from the 13th to the 15th centuries runs till October 11 and displays such notable works as the cuspidate panels from the altar of Santa Croce’s Bardi Chapel, painted glass by the Master of Figline, a significant artist in fourteenth-century Italy, and a panel depicting St Francis Offering the Sultan Ordeal by Fire from the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, which is being displayed alongside fellow panels from its

original location of Santa Croce for the first time. In addition to sculptures and paintings, the exhibit features a selection of archival documents and archaeological finds from the Museum of the Custody of the Holy Land in Jerusalem and the Museum of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. Artists’ works on display include those attributed to Giunta di Capitino and Coppo di Marcovaldo, as well as those by the Master of St Francis and the Master of the Franciscan Crucifixes.

Franciscan Art:

Masterpieces of Italian art and Asian lands from the 13th to the 15th centuries

Until October 11 Accademia Gallery Tues–Sun: 8:15 a.m.–6:50 p.m. www.uffizi.firenze.it

ReSignifications: Imagining the Black Body and Re-Staging Histories

Exhibit on display until August 29 A multimedia art exhibition en- was inspired by the ‘Blackamoor’ titled ReSignifications that ex- statues within Villa La Pietra’s amines and deconstructs the own art collections, which depict image of the black body through Africans in various states of sera groundbreaking and unique vice and decoration. Since 2012, artistic dialogue is on display un- artists from Africa, Europe and til August 29 at the historic Villa the United States have engaged La Pietra, New York University’s in residencies at NYU Florence Florence campus, and the Bardini in order to create art in response to the Blackamoors, juxtaposing Museum. The exhibition draws a remark- a selection of three-dimensional able collection of artists from objects, figurines, and sculptures around the world, including with reinterpretations and countCarrie Mae Weems, Fred Wilson, er-narratives from a spectrum of Mickaline Thomas, Zanele Muho- contemporary artistic angles. li, Omar Diop, Peju Alatise, and “ReSignifications is a perfect illusMary Sibande, among many oth- tration of what’s possible at a truly global university. We were able to ers. Curated by Nigerian playwright, derive inspiration from items of director, filmmaker, scholar and cultural significance outside the New York University Professor United States, and then use them of Drama and Africana studies as a catalyst for the generation of meaningful art, scholarship, Awam Amkpa, ReSignifications

A cool retreat from the summer heat

and debate that are legitimately global,” said Amkpa. “The subject matter couldn’t be more urgent given the challenges the world faces in terms of the imagery of race and social justice, from African immigration along the Italian coast to the acts of civil unrest in Ferguson and Baltimore. It’s our role as a global university not to shy away from these issues, but to use everything in our arsenal to face them head on.”

Exhibit Locations NYU Florence, Galleria Biagiotti, Villa La Pietra, Via Bolognese, 120; Museo Stefano Bardini, Via dei Renai, 37; Fondazione Biagiotti Progetto Arte, Via delle Belle Donne, 39

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Fiesole Heats Up with Estate Fiesolana Festival

Fiesole is a culture lover’s heaven until August 3 as Estate Fiesolana takes over. One of the most important festivals of the Tuscan summer calendar, it creates a unique atmosphere with events held at the city’s Roman theater and, for the first time this edition, Roman baths. Performances include Madama Bovary, a theatrical interpretation of the Flaubert original, written by Lorena Senestro with original music by Eric Maestri on July 9; a confrontation of generational differences with the play La Famiglia Campione by Enriquez Award-winning company Gli Omini on July 10; the ballet Giselle directed and choreographed by Eugenio Scigliano on July 11; and a performance of Antoine de

Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince by Fiesole Music School on July 14. Jazz takes center-stage this year with Living Coltrane, a tribute to John Coltrane featuring a quintet that includes Enrico Rava, one of the biggest names in Italian jazz on July 13; a performance by pianist and composer Simone Graziano on July 15; and Sheik yer Zappa by internationally renowned jazz pianist Stefano Bollani on July 16. Other concerts include cultural storytelling by solo classical guitarist Serena Meloni, who performs VIEJEČNICA: La Biblioteca di Sarajevo on July 17, concerts by the Italian Youth Orchestra (July 18, 22 and 26), a tribute to Dutch composer Louis Andriessen on July 23, and a concert by Chilean band Inti-Illimani on August 3.

Estate Fiesolana also hosts its annual award ceremony on July 19 that recognizes some of the greatest films, directors and screenwriters from around the world, which is followed by a new and improved version of the Italian film Profondo Rosso. For more information, see the official website at: www.estatefiesolana.it Estate Fiesolana spans more than 90 years of history: the first theatrical performance took place at Fiesole’s Roman theater in 1911, after its rediscovery in 1873 and subsequent 20-year restoration and renovation. Since then almost a century of dance, music, theater and cinema has taken place at the site of this extraordinary piece of Italian history.

Celebrating St Anna

July 26 marks the celebration of the Festival of Saint Anna, mother of the Virgin Mary and protector of Florence’s liberty and identity. The celebration begins with a historic procession at the Piazza di Parte Guelfa at 8:45 p.m. with 100 participants dressed in costume, which proceeds to Piazza della Signoria and then on to Piazza Duomo. The procession ends at Orsanmichele, where traditional offerings and candles are made at Saint Anna’s altar. The history of the annual festival dates back to the early fourteenth century when, on July 26 1343, the Florentine people rebelled against the foreign tyrant Gualtieri di Brienne, the Duke of Athens. The expulsion of the Duke marked the re-establishment of civil freedom

and liberty for the Florentine people, and citizens joined together to celebrate the event each year until the Medici family took power in the late fourteenth century. Saint Anna was seen as the inspirational guide of the battle for freedom from the Duke of Athens, which is why the festival is named after her. In 1999 the Comune of Florence decided to reinstate the festival, and today, it is a colorful reminder of a historic moment in Florence’s past and Saint Anna as the city’s protectress.

Feast of St Anne July 26 at 8:45 p.m. Piazza Signoria, Piazza di Parte Guelfa, Piazza Duomo & Via Calzaiuoli

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Leonardo’s Self-Portrait Displayed for First Time

A Taste of Expo

Mark Massey

A guide to Milan Expo events in Florence

The impact of Milan Expo is being felt in Florence, as the city serves up a platter of exhibitions and events related to the Expo’s theme of ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.’ The events take place throughout the duration of the event until October 31 and are expected to draw an additional one million visitors to Florence. Venues throughout the city are participating to showcase Florence’s cultural and historical roots, starting with a modern take on Brunelleschi’s dome. Entitled I_Dome, the three-dimensional installation been created with video mapping and invites visitors to step into a full-immersion

experience in the courtyard of Palazzo Vecchio. The Orti e Cenacoli (Vegetable Gardens and Refectories) project features a series of six suppers prepared by Tuscan chefs, based on recipes from Tuscan monasteries and including ingredients drawn from urban gardens. Suppers can be booked for Thursday, July 2 at San Marco monastery and July 16 at the monastery of Santo Spirito on eventi.boxofficetoscana.it/ortiecenacoli. In addition to showcasing regional food and wine producers, a temporary mall known as La Casa delle Eccellenze (House of Excellence) displays Tuscan innovation in the fields of fashion, homeware, crafts, mechanical construction

and technology, alongside a series of seminars and workshops. Local Bio highlights the emphasis on sustainability, where visitors can expect to see and taste many traditional, organically produced products, while the Jellyfish exhibit located by the Arno River encourages visitors to think seriously on the issue of sustainability, reflecting on the concerns faced by the agricultural sector.

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Marine Le Canne Leonardo da Vinci’s famous self-portrait is being shown to the public for the very first time this summer in Rome. Normally preserved in the Royal Library of Turin’s vault and rarely visible to the public, the painting is on display at the Capitoline Museum until August 3. Titled L’Autoritratto (Self-portrait), the exhibition includes information about the life of the Florentine genius as well as the fascinating, and at times controversial, facts surrounding the self-portrait. The room where the artwork is displayed is also monitored by a climate box that maintains a stable temperature and humidity and sends information to the Royal Library about the artwork’s condition. The self-portrait, produced in

1510 using the sanguigna or red chalk technique, established Leonardo as a ‘Renaissance man.’ Believed to have been completed when Leonardo was 60years old, it depicts him with long hair and a flowing beard, which were uncommon in Renaissance portraits. The eyes do not face the viewer but are focused to the right, with a serious expression. It was only in the nineteenth century that the drawing was assumed to be a self-portrait of da Vinci. As it is in a fragile condition, the artwork underwent several tests in Rome’s ICRCPAL lab in order to verify that it was fit to transport safely. Given the difficulties in moving the masterpiece from its location, such an exhibition is unlikely to be repeated, thereby giving visitors the brief but exceptional chance to see it first-hand.

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The Dwarf Morgante

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A historical interpretation of a jovial sculpture Angela Oberer His real name was Braccio di Bartolo, but everybody called him Morgante. His physical particularity become his profession: he served as a court dwarf for Cosimo I. The position of ‘court dwarf’ was one that was offered by all the important rulers in Europe, and the role implied sometimes coincided with that of the court jester. Dwarfs were owned, exploited, traded and delivered as gifts to fellow kings and queens. This, from a modern point of view, humiliating and repulsing fashion can partly be explained by the characteristics and capacities ascribed to markedly small people as being lucky charms or healers; not seldom they became objects of homoerotic desires. Cosimo I was not an exception to the rule. He owned at least five dwarfs, one of whom, the most famous until today, was Morgante. His nickname was a satirical twist on the title character’s name in the anonymous late fifteenth-century Romantic epic by Luigi Pulci, in which Morgante is a giant who, ironically, will be killed by a bite from a crab. Cosimo I defined his Morgante, whose services are documented from the 1540s, as “the dwarf of our ducal palace and our most beloved servant.” According to Giorgio Vasari, it was Valerio Cioli who got the commission for this work from Cosimo I between 1561 and 1564: “The Duke has also made the same Valerio do a nude statue of the dwarf Morgante in marble,

which has proved so beautiful and so like the reality, that probably there has never been seen another monster so well wrought, nor one executed with each diligence, lifelike and faithful nature.” Valerio Cioli (1529/30–1599), born in Settignano, was a pupil of Niccolo Tribolo. In 1548-49 he worked in Rome with Raffaello da Montelupo before being summoned back to Florence by Cosimo I in order to undertake, together with his father, the restoration of the Duke’s collection of classical statuary. The eye-catching sculpture of the

a majestic horse, though, Morgante is riding a tortoise, an animal well known for its sluggishness and slowness. Or is it a farcical version of Cosimo’s impresa of the tortoise with the sail? The motto festina Iente (‘more haste, less speed’) attached to the tortoise with the sail was taken by Cosimo in reference to emperor Augustus. The Roman historian Suetonius tells us that Augustus deplored rashness, in a leader and accordingly, his favorite sayings were: “More haste, less speed,” “Better a safe commander than a bold” and “That is done quickly enough which is done well enough.” Moreover, we know of gold coins that were minted for the emperor with a crab and a butterfly as an emblematic representation for his motto. Could it be part of an intellectual riddle or joke as Morgante, who, according to Pulci, was killed by a crab bite, is shown like a riding emperor on Cosimo’s emblematic animal, linking the three figures in an ironic but at the same time cultivated way? “monster” has been part of the Fon- In this case once more Morgante tana del Bacchino since 1579 and would fulfill his task: to simply shows a naked, obese and ageing amuse the Medici family and Morgante modeled on the real-life their guests on a superficial level, dwarf. The name of the fountain through his grotesquely exposed reminds us of the iconographic link naked form atop a tortoise, but to representations of the drunken he would entertain the sophistiBacchus. cated and cultured visitor as well, Another reminder of antiquity is through the various historical alluthe fact that Morgante is riding with sions and diverse levels of meaning. his right hand stretched out in a way The sculpture that nowadays can that seems to turn the sculpture be found at the northeastern eninto a parody of the most famous trance to the Boboli Gardens is equestrian monument of ancient a copy, while Cioli’s original has Rome: Marcus Aurelius. found a new home in the StanInstead of proudly sitting on top of zonaccio.

BIBLIOTECA GABINETTO G.P. V IEUSSEUX Piazza Strozzi 055 28 34 2 www.vieusseux.fi.it BIBLIOTECA MARUCELLIANA Via Cavour, 43 055 21 06 02 // 055 21 62 43 Monday to Friday: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. www.maru.firenze.sbn.it BIBLIOTECA MEDICEA-L AURENZIANA Piazza S. Lorenzo, 9 055 21 07 60 www.bml.firenze.sbn.it BIBLIOTECA NA ZIONALE Piazza Cavalleggeri, 1/a 055 24 91 91 // 055 24 91 91 Monday to Friday: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. www.bncf.firenze.sbn.it IRIS Piazza Strozzi, Palazzo Strozzi www.iris.firenze.it/index_e.php BIBLIOTECA COMUNALE CENTR ALE Via S. Egidio, 21 055 26 16 512 www.comune.firenze.it/comune/ biblioteche/comunale.htm BIBLIOTECA DEI R AGA ZZI Via Tripoli, 34 055 24 78 551 BIBLIOTECA PAL AGIO DI PARTE GUELFA Piazza Parte Guelfa, 1 055 21 47 40 www.comune.firenze.it/comune/ biblioteche/ppguelfa.htm THE UFFIZI LIBR ARY 055 23 88 647 Tuesday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. biblioteca@polomuseale.firenze.it

Dante’s Commedia Misconceived by Dan Brown Lee Foust The theme of the Book of Revelations, like the Old Testament Book of Daniel upon which it was based, is thlipsis—a Greek word meaning tribulations. Consequently, our whole Judeo-Christian concept of God’s judgment in the afterlife stems from how we morally react to life’s tribulations. Since Revelations recounts mostly the retributions meted out to the enemies of Christianity and other evildoers at the end of time, a lacuna of early Christian theology was the knowledge of what happens to the souls of the faithful in the interim between death and the last judgment. Into this gap stepped the Vision of St. Paul, an apocryphal biblical text that spawned a considerable but little-read medieval genre of visions recounting journeys into a moralized Christian land of the dead—there are about 100 such texts written in Europe between the 2nd and 14th centuries and it is from them that we take most of our common modern images of hell and heaven, as well as the entire concept of Purgatory. Dante Alighieri’s tripartite epic poem, The Commedia (“Divine” was added to the title later, by

Giovanni Boccaccio), is one such encyclopedic, late-medieval account of how the unrepentant are punished in Hell, how the repentant are cleansed in Purgatory, and how the blessed celebrate their salvation in Heaven. It is the last of the medieval visionary tradition—a text too exhaustive, poetic, and influential to top. As alluring as a descent into the infernal regions at first sounds, however, the poem has nothing at all to do with any medieval plagues, nor with the threat to anyone’s life, and its villain is a chained-up, non-speaking, and

totally ineffectual Satan. Neither the poem’s focus on morality, nor its lack of an active villain, is compatible with the modern thriller genre. We saw it in the film Se7en’s weak Dantesque references, we saw it in the over-romanticized video game Dante’s Inferno, and we see it yet again in Dan Brown’s mostly pointless attempt to exploit Dante’s poem in his recent thriller, Inferno. Just as modern-day romance plays no part whatsoever in the poet’s spiritual salvation as granted him by the figure of an allegorical, unknown woman who is called “Be-

atrice” because the name signifies that she is a miracle from heaven, “a blessing,” (as I discussed in last month’s article) so the episodic and poetic invocation of divine justice after death presented in the Commedia has no secular stakes—no ticking bombs or terrorist plots. It just doesn’t fit the thriller mold, and that’s why Dan Brown’s Inferno, for me, fails by choosing Dante’s epic as a platform—it grafts two incompatible species of tree together too haphazardly. The basic plot—a mad genius biologist cooking up a virus to save the world from human

overpopulation—is interesting enough, but all of the half-baked information regarding the Commedia, Dante’s life, and his love for Beatrice, is needless, awkward, and often just plain wrong. Without it, the novel might also have clocked in at a more readable 250 pages instead of its tedious 462. For a really interesting take on Dante’s epic poem—and some awesome Godfather, Goodfellas, and Sopranos-style gangster shenanigans—try Nick Tosches’s In the Hand of Dante (No Exit Press, 2002). Tosches’s novel juxtaposes the medieval poet’s struggle to complete his poetic vision of Paradise with the bloodbath produced by modern-day gangsters fighting over the newly discovered original manuscript of the Commedia in the poet’s own hand. Now that would be a find worth fighting over! Lee Foust is a fiction writer and performer from Oakland, California who teaches literature and creative writing at various US universities in Florence. He is the author of Sojourner, a collection of stories and poems about the mystery of place, and the forthcoming Poison and Antidote, nine Bohemian tales of San Francisco during the Reagan era. Read more from Lee at www.leefoust.com.

SUMMER EDITION 2015

Florence News & Events

CULTURE

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The Customer is Always Wrong? Christie Ann Barakat When in Florence or, more generally, in Italy, ignore any faint echoes of the American mantra, “the customer is always right.” Fail to and you’ll find yourself disgruntled by what most Americans would consider obvious breaches of sales etiquette. If you implore, “But what about customer service?” expect a long pause and a blank stare. Then, “No, no, no. Non esiste.” (Doesn’t exist). This is how customer care or, more precisely, the lack thereof, works in Italy. Doesn’t exist? Really? The consumer-cultured American can’t imagine the buying and selling of goods and services that benefit anyone more than the customer. After all, he or she occupies the center of an ad-cluttered universe. In the United States, people upload photos of months-old, stained Cole’s pants that they’ve managed to return without a receipt. College students buy expensive dresses for an event, party all night, then return them a week later, slightly damaged and still smelling of smoke. Full refund. In Italy, tourists who confine themselves to areas crammed with smiling merchants eager to sell their wares initially believe it’s ‘business as usual.’ But if they dig a little deeper they’re forced to withdraw from the entitlements on which they’ve come to depend.

Italian merchants forbid returns on practically everything; only recently have some stores implemented a one-month return policy. Once I tried to take something back not 10 minutes after I’d made the purchase. The saleswoman looked at me as if I were out of my mind, then said, “Non si fa così.” (That is not how it works). I was dumbfounded. Anti-Americanism? My broken Italian? Didn’t she know that the customer is always right? I composed myself and asked, “May I speak to the manager?” Don’t ask that. Ever. Whether out of disbelief, stubbornness or habit, I continued trying to make returns at various stores; certainly one of them would have a first-world customer service policy. But each time I received the same incredulous looks and waving dismissals. “La prossima!” (Next!) Each time I walked away with an acute sense that my existence – and my money – was utterly inconsequential. So much for retail therapy. In a clothing boutique, you must be careful about even touching the garments. Removing something that’s hanging or, worse, unfolding anything, may result in an employee shooting daggers at you with her eyes. She’ll likely march over with an air of superiority, whisk the item from your hand and begin folding it back up – with slow, exact movements – while you stand there with your mouth open. In all fairness, folding is practically an art form in Italy. But if you want to rummage, you’re definite-

ly in the wrong place. There are no Tar-Zhays in Florence. Take solace at Zara or H&M until you get the hang of things. Don’t think, “I’ll try this on at home and if it doesn’t fit, I’ll just bring it back.” Or, “Well, if he doesn’t like it, he can exchange it.” No more swapping a gift without a receipt for something you really want. Window-shopping is common, but if you enter a store you should know what you’re looking for and have a clear intention to buy. Italian sales clerks prefer to consider their own merchandise and offer you options. Any uncertainty causes problems. The clerk becomes frustrated and you must try to be agreeable when he presents you with unseemly choices. I’ve entered many stores feeling like I was disturbing the sales representative (often the owner) and left feeling guilty for trying something on and not buying it. Forget about entering a dressing room with six-plus items only to leave them behind in a heap. Italy marches to the beat of a different drummer, and the customer is most often out of step.

In Memory of a Florentine Icon

August 7 marks the 55th anniversary of the death of Florence’s world-famous fashion icon, Salvatore Ferragamo. Born into an impoverished family in 1898, Ferragamo created his first pair of shoes at the tender age of nine. He later became an apprentice to a local cobbler in his home town of Bonito in southern Italy and then an entrepreneur at the age of 14, opening a small shoe shop with a total number of six assistants working for him. Persuaded by his elder brother to accompany him to the United States, Ferragamo immigrated to Boston in 1914 at the age of 16. It wasn’t until the designer moved to Santa Barbara, California and finally to Hollywood that his success began. He met high-profile clientele and movie stars, who fell in love with his trademark shoes, and gained a reputation as the ‘shoemaker of dreams.’ With his

remarkable talent and entrepreneurial skills, by 1919 Ferragamo had established one of the most famous fashion brands in the world. Upon his return to Italy, Ferragamo set up shop in Florence in Via Minnelli, where he copyrighted his luxury shoe brand. In 1929, he bought and converted Palazzo Spini Feroni into his headquarters. The Salvatore Ferragamo brand eventually expanded to include other luxury goods, such as bags, clothing and perfumes, consistently maintaining its standards of excellence and refinement. Ferragamo died in 1960 at the age of 62 in Pietrasanta, a small town in Tuscany. Ferragamo’s legacy is destined to last for many years to come, and is kept alive by the success of his family and the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum at Palazzo Spini Feroni.

International & national shipping service Packing material Full color digital copies Fax service Storage service Free pick up at school or home Monday to Friday: 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3-6 p.m.

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SUMMER EDITION 2015

10 Florence News & Events

CULTURE

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Realizing Leonardo’s Projects

Exhibit showcases working models of da Vinci’s designs, as museum hits 10th anniversary

Lucy David

A family of Florentine craftsmen has discovered previously unknown theorems hidden in Leonardo’s mechanical designs, shedding light on the full scope of his genius. Carlo Niccolai and his son Gabriele have spent decades constructing working models of Leonardo’s inventions through close study of his famous codices. In collaboration with a team of specialists, the Niccolai family re-creates the designs using materials such as wood, rope, fabric and metal that date back to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The rigor of practical and mechanical tests carried out on each model has given rise to a number of insights into Leonardo’s approach and surprisingly modern grasp of technology, such as his famous ‘robot’, which was originally believed to have been designed as an armored robotic knight. However, during laboratory tests the robot was discovered to be limited in its upper body movement and instead possess flexible wrists adapted to drumming, and is now believed to have been designed for use in parades and ceremonies. In his studies for a European Commission-sponsored exhibition of the machines in Brussels earlier this year, Gabriele Niccolai noted how Leonardo appears to have deliberately scattered the mechanical components required to create his inventions over several different pages of his codices, allowing artisans to create individ-

ual elements but preventing their understanding of the machine as a whole. This may be due in part to the fact that Leonardo’s codices have been split up and reassembled over the years – sculptor Pompeo Leoni took the liberty of cutting and dividing several of the codices into scientific and artistic categories in the seventeenth century – however such a practice would have also safeguarded his inventions during times of war. Leonardo’s catapult design in the Atlantic Codex is rendered useless without details of its ballistic adjustments, which are found in a different part of the codex as a series of self-locking mechanisms. A deeper understanding of Leonardo’s codices has revealed that many of his technological innovations rested upon those of his engineering predecessors, such as Brunelleschi, Vitruvius, Heron of Alexandria and Archimedes of

Syracuse, which Leonardo adapted to his own context. His modification of a mechanism based on a description found in Herodotus and believed to have been used for building the pyramids surpassed all expectations when Niccolai created its working model in 2011: a 300kg concrete block was so reduced in weight that a six-year-old child was able to lift it. The Niccolai family has been reconstructing working models of Leonardo’s designs since 1995, when Carlo Niccolai dedicated himself to the work full-time in a desire to realise Leonardo’s legacy. His passion founded the Niccolai Collection, the largest private collection of Leonardo models in the world, comprising more than 300 working models created by himself and his sons, together with a team of artisans, engineers, historians and architects. The models have been displayed

at more than 100 international exhibitions throughout Europe and as far afield as Australia, New Zealand, China, the US, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Finland. More than 50 working models are on permanent display at The Machines of Leonardo da Vinci exhibit at Galleria Michelangiolo in Via Cavour. Here visitors have the chance to not only observe but also interact with various prototypes, such as the aerial screw used in today’s helicopters, alongside a scuba-diving apparatus, glider, bicycle, tank and missiles; and view reconstructions of Leonardo’s studies of anatomy. The exhibit also displays copies of six codices, in which the visitor can view the sketches that reveal the workings of the great man’s mind. The Niccolai family has been widely praised for its ongoing devotion to realising the vast inheritance that Leonardo left to science.

Professor Carlo Pedretti, director of the Armand Hammer Center for Leonardo Studies at the University of California, says, “Carlo Niccolai is an admirable figure, a talented craftsman who has developed his own way in studying the technological level reached by Leonardo da Vinci. Moreover, he is a person gifted with great simplicity and humility. His work is important to scholars because it helps our theories and contributes to study indepth Leonardo’s machines and all the technological discoveries made at that time.” Indeed, as Bill Gates’ $30 million purchase of the Leicester Codex indicates, we have much to be grateful to Leonardo for: next time your car gets a flat tire, you can thank Leonardo for inventing the jack. Leonardo’s designs on display include the aerial screw (used in today’s helicopters), human robot, hydraulic drill, scubadiving apparatus, hang glider, tank, missiles, bicycle, floodlight, lifebuoy and jack.

The Machines of Leonardo da Vinci Michelangiolo Gallery Leonardo da Vinci Museum Via Cavour, 21 Open daily: 9:30 a.m – 7:30 p.m. Cost: €7 (full price); €5 (reduced); €3 (groups of 15 or more). Entrance, snack and drink promotion: €8 (between 11 a.m. & 4 p.m.). 055 295 264 www.macchinedileonardo.com

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12 Florence News & Events

OLTRARNO

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Across the Arno Divide: The story of Ponte Santa Trinità

Olivia Turchi Renowned for its artisan workshops, the Oltrarno has been known for its industrial production since the medieval era. In fact, the characterization of these workshops along specific streets is still evident today. However, with the transfer of the ducal Medici residence to Palazzo Pitti in the mid-sixteenth century, the neighborhood became popular for the gentry. Access to the Oltrarno was a privilege, and it could be accessed by Ponte Vecchio and Ponte Santa Trinita. Described by the Florentine Giovanni Spadolini as “one of the most beautiful bridges in all of Italy, and amongst one of the most elegant in Europe,” Ponte Santa Trinita was built from wood in 1252, with the patronage of the Frescobaldi family, and took its name from the nearby church of Santa Trinita. In 1259 the bridge collapsed due to the high number of people on it watching a spectacle on the Arno. It was rebuilt out of stone, but gave way once again in 1333 when the Arno flooded. That year, only Ponte alle Grazie was spared. The following reconstruction was slow and lasted about 50 years, from 1356 to 1415. The next flood was in 1557, and its reconstruction led to the modern-day structure of the bridge. Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici commissioned architect Bartolomeo Ammannati with the design, who was also advised by Michelangelo. Michelangelo was the one who suggested the use

and towards Via Tornabuoni, Ponte Santa Trinita leads us across the Arno and into the most authentic part of Florence, also providing a splendid view (particularly at sunset) of Ponte Vecchio on the way.

Olivia Turchi and the Via Maggio Association Turchi is the founder and president of the Via Maggio Association, a society born to protect the cultural identity and the unique connotations of the street and its historical quarter, which is composed of a voluntary committee of citizens, including business owners, artisans, antique dealers and residents.

of three arches, which he had already studied with the tombs of the Medici chapels and the vestibule of the Laurentian Library. The curved lines that were used in the design of the bridge were an innovation that anticipated the Baroque style, but which also had an important technical aspect, due to their resistance to static. The bridge was designed with a catenary shape, resembling a parabola, and in addition to arches decorated with white scrolls, it featured elegant supporting pylons with a horizontal section at acute angles to prevent trunks from getting entangled under the bridge. There were also four statues on the bridge, depicting the four seasons, added in 1608 to celebrate the wedding of Cosimo II and Maria Magdalena of Austria. Ponte Santa Trinita was once again destroyed by the retreating German army on August 4, 1944.

Luigi Bellini created a committee called Come era e dove era (‘How it was and where it was’), for the reconstruction of the bridge, which sparked a civil debate between intellectuals, art historians and architects. The bridge’s original stones were salvaged from the Arno and it was rebuilt using ancient techniques and by utilizing the Boboli Gardens quarry, reopened for the first time since the sixteenth century. Ponte Santa Trinita was inaugurated on May 16, 1958. The four original statues were found in the Arno, but the head belonging to the spring statue remained lost. It was in the 1960s that the antiquarian Bellini posted a flyer promising a reward of $5000 for the head. It was finally found in the Arno in 1961 after an extensive search, providing inspiration for the film Miracle at St Anna. Moving away from the city center

Romanelli Gallery Offers Sculpture Workshops Heir to five generations of sculptors, Raffaello Romanelli specializes in portraiture and opens his family atelier to individual and group lessons. As it happened in the past, when young boys used to attend the atelier of the master to learn his precious secrets (this was called andare a bottega), Studio Galleria Romanelli revives such tradition by offering sculpture classes. Raffaello guides the students through learning the basic technique of modeling a realistic subject in clay. The traditional ‘sight-size method’ trains the eyes to measure the proportions and volumes of the figure. At the Romanelli Gallery it is possible to

learn how to prepare artworks for kiln firing as well as the molding technique to cast it in plaster. The studio offers weekly courses, from Monday to Friday, as well as part-time courses or single lessons. Each class lasts three hours and takes place in the historical atelier in Borgo San Frediano, in the Oltrarno district. Participants can agree the program and the schedule of classes with the teacher. Classes are open to beginners as well.

Galleria Romanelli Borgo San Frediano, 70 055 239 60 47 www.raffaelloromanelli.com

SUMMER EDITION 2015

Florence News & Events 13

ESTATE AL BARGELLO

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Florence Dance Festival Celebrates its 26th Edition

ESTATE AL BARGELLO Bargello National Museum Via del Proconsolo, 4 www.estatealbargello.it Tickets: Circuito Regionale Box Office Via delle Vecchie Carceri, 1 www.boxofficetoscana.it 2015 FLORENCE DANCE FESTIVAL EV ENTS July 9: Opening Gala The Ascent of Orpheus Exhibition by Adi Da Samraj Showcasing Divina.com Dante/Adi Da Samraj/Florence July 10–11: Florence Dance Comapany: Divina.com Dante/Adi Da Samraj/Florence July 12: Kinesis Dance Company Corporeamente with Étoile Letizia Giuliani July 15: Aterballetto -Italy’s most prominent Dance Company from Reggio Emilia: Cahier de la Dance July 17: Flamenco Lunares: Cinco Miradas (Italia/Spanish production)

Since 1990, Florence Dance Festival has featured the best dance companies throughout Italy, focusing on the excellence of Italian performance. Now in its 26th edition, the festival continues its paramount performances, producing cutting-edge choreography, providing advanced professional education, and creating supporting events to a broad audience of all ages. It returs from July 9 to 30 with the intention of cultivating creativity and energy in celebration of its partnership with Florence, and takes place in the historic court-

yard of the Bargello National Museum of Florence. Although it celebrated its quarter-century last year, the 2015 edition commemorates two important 150th anniversaries: the inauguration of the Bargello, and the chapter of history in which Florence was the capital of Italy (1865–1871), after the unification of Italy in 1861. Events include the exhibition The Ascent of Orpheus: Between and Beyond Representation and Abstraction by renowned American-born, international artist, philosopher and spiritualist Adi Da Samraj together with DLINE

Orpheus and the Bargello, which recounts the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice through large-scale, digitally composed fabrications. Taking place from July 9 to October 11, the exhibition marks the first ever held by a contemporary artist within the museum space. This year also marks the 750th anniversary of the birth of Dante Aligheri, who is commemorated with the multimedia featurette Divina.com Dante/Adi Da Samraj/ Florence that leads the audience through a contemporary version of Inferno, Purgatory and Heaven from July 10 to 11. Choreographed

by Keith Ferrone, it features video imagery by Adi Da Samraj, along with original live music by wellknown pianists Stefano Maurizi and Naamleela Free Johns and avant-garde electronic rock by Maurizio Fasolo and his infamous underground group Pankow. The festival also gives dancers the opportunity to intern and perform on stage with Toscana Dance Hub. Directed by Giada Ferrone, an artistic director of a company of young dancers from the New York University dance department, it runs in collaboration with Marga Nativo and Keith Ferrone.

July 19: Kaos – Balletto di Firenze: A contemporary tale of the famous Heretics July 21: Balletto di Roma: contemporary version of Swan Lake July 25: Toscana Dance HUB: Un Omaggio a Firenze Capitale July 28: Peridance Contemporary Dance Company (New York): Thundering Silence July 30: Deos- Resident dance company at the famous Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova: Pulcinella www.florencedancefestival.org

Il Cencio Unto

SOFT DRINK R O CCO

TUSCAN COLD CUTS AND FRESH SANDWICHES

DRINKS AND MORE YOUR ATM IN VIA DE’ NERI

Located in Via de’ Cerchi, Il Cencio Unto is the place where you can taste various typical Tuscan cold cuts and tasting plates. Il Cencio Unto is very selective in its choice of products and offers fresh ingredients, made-to-order dishes with delicious toppings, and a wide selection of wines. Specialty:

COCCOLI

Whether you want an iced coffee or a bottle of wine, a beer and crisps or a refreshing soda, Soft Drink Rocco has got you covered. It has everything that you could need at a moment’s notice, selling a wide variety of alcohol, soft drinks and foodstuffs. Snugly settled on Via de’ Neri, if you find yourself in the Santa Croce area and in need of a cold drink on a hot day, or anything for that little gathering of friends you’re having, give them a visit.

Open daily: 10-12 a.m.

Via de’ Cerchi, 25/r 055 21 99 90 info@ilcenciounto.it www.ilcenciounto.it

Via de’ Neri, 16/r Santa Croce 389 02 50 515 roccosal@hotmail.it

SUMMER EDITION 2015

14 Florence News & Events

FASHION

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Highlights of Pitti 88

Leah Meyers The 88th edition of Pitti Uomo has come to a close with, as expected, success. The number of buyers who came this year increased by five percent from last year – the greatest amount of buyers and visitors that the Pitti Uomo in Florence has received yet in its 88-year history – and the event is forecast to have reached approximately 20,000 visitors. Support was also shown by the Italian government, which promised to boost the fashion industry and Florence in particular as a flagship of Italian menswear and fashion. Star designers were on display, including Jeremy Scott, whose witty ‘royal’ designs for the iconic Moschino brand stole the show in Florence’s historic Palazzo Corsini. Other top brands included Brunello Cucinelli, Domenico Ta-

gliente, tailored looks from Massimo Rebecchi, shirts from Bagutta, Cruciani knitwear, sneakers and accessories from Geox sneakers and various bags from Testoni. This year’s show focused on the powerful role that denim and jeans will play in next spring and summer fashion, bringing together idealized fashion with downto-earth tastes. Several new trends characterized this edition. In particular, the spring and summer collections of 2016 presented blurred boundaries between men’s and women’s clothing, with apparel and accessories designed to be worn by both genders. Blue was the overriding colour this year, present in the jackets and blazers in formal wear (the exhibition’s main theme), as well as sportswear and denim, and dominant in accessories such as ties, scarves and socks.

When Milan Took the Title From Florence

When people think of Italian fashion, the first place that comes to mind is Milan, given that it is where majority of the world’s important fashion shows take place. However Milan has only been a leading player in Italian fashion for the last 25 years. Italian fashion originated, in fact, in Florence. Businessman Giovan Battista Giorgini organized the first Italian fashion show on February 12, 1951 and featured 180 collections at his residence in Villa Torrigiani, Florence. The event comprised just eight American buyers and one journalist but despite the small number of attendees the show was a huge success, and swivelled the world’s attention to Florence. Following the triumph of his first fashion show, Giorgini organized

a second show, held in June 1951 at the Grand Hotel in Florence, which featured designers from Rome, Milan, Turin and Florence. As his second show was once again a hit, Giorgini kept the ball rolling, launching the Renaissance of Florentine design and turning the city into the Italian fashion capital. When eight Roman designers left Florence and took their garments to Rome, a commotion was sparked that led to the decision to grant Florence the power to showcase accessories and boutique fashion, while Rome became the capital of couture. Throughout the 1960s, Italy became renowned as a country specializing in ‘casual elegance.’ However, the fierce rivalry be-

tween Florence and Rome left a meal ticket for Milan, which had already perfected a unique style but was in need of recognition. By the 1970s, Milan’s ready-to-wear collections rendered it the fashion capital of the world. American buyers soon began shifting their money towards Milan, boosting its economy dramatically. Although no longer considered the nation’s foremost fashion city, Florence continues to play a leading role. The bi-annual Pitti Immagine trade shows bring thousands to the city to see what is new in fashion, while its reputation for artisan quality is fully present in the countless boutiques and proudly Florentine brands that create custom-made hats, garments, footwear and jewelry.

welcome to

Restaurant - Lounge Bar - Pool Events - Outdoor Activities Magnificenza Le Pavoniere: restaurant, lounge bar, pool. The elegant restaurant has a pizzeria, but its specialties are created from fish, both raw and cooked. It also has a cocktail bar that is specialized in the classic Italian aperitivo from 8 p.m. but it is also available for events. Having a fantastic location, the restaurant is dedicated to those who enjoy flavors and entertainment, offering a bit of everything for those with particular tastes. During the evenings, lights, colors and music animate the park with DJ sessions, live performances and video projections. There is a fantastic pool for relaxation.…. a summer to never forget.

Program

for July

Viale Degli Olmi, Parco delle Casine 366 633 05 81 www.magnifenza.it

SUMMER EDITION 2015

16 Florence News & Events

CITY GUIDE

TOURIST INFORMATION Firenze Turismo 055 29 08 32 // 055 29 08 33 Via Cavour, 1/r Mon–Sat: 8:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. (Closed on Sundays and public holidays; see Comune info points below for Sunday hours.) info1@firenzeturismo.it www.firenzeturismo.it Florence Airport ...........................055 31 58 74 Via del Termine, 1 Daily: 8:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m. infoaeroporto@firenzeturismo.it Comune ....................................... 055 21 22 45 Piazza Stazione, 4 Mon–Sat: 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Sundays & public holidays: 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m. turismo3@comune.fi.it www.comune.fi.it Bigallo loggia .............................. 055 28 84 96 Piazza San Giovanni Mon–Sat: 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Sundays & public holidays: 9 a.m.–2 p.m. bigallo@comune.fi.it

EMERGENCY SERVICES Police – emergency ..................................... 113 Police – carabinieri ...................................... 112 Police – municipal ...................... 055 32 83 333 Ambulance ................................................... 118 Fire department ........................................... 115 Tourist medical service .............. 055 21 22 21 Poison Center ............................. 055 79 47 819 Pharmacies (open) ...................... 800 42 07 07 Vehicle breakdown (ACI) ............................. 116 Obstruction& towed vehicle ...... 055 42 24 142 Civil protection services .............. 800 01 5 161 Child abuse hotline ...................................... 114 Emergency vet services ........... 055 72 23 683 Environmental emergency response ....... 1515 Lost & Found (Florence office) ... 055 33 48 02

TRANSPORT BUS & COACH ATAF (www.ataf.net) ................... 800 42 45 00 BluBlus (www.blubus.it) ............. 800 27 78 25 SITA Nord (www.fsbusitalia.it) ... 800 37 37 60 CAP (www.capautolinee.it) ........ 055 21 46 37 Vaibus (www.vaibus.com) ........ 058 35 87 897 TRAIN Trenitalia (www.trenitalia.com) .......... 89 20 21 Italo (www.italotreno.it/en) ............... 06 07 08

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MUSEUMS & GALLERIES Accademia Gallery* Alinari National Photography Museum* Bargello National Museum* Bigallo Museum* Cathedral Museum (Museo dell’Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore)* Costume Gallery (Palazzo Pitti)* Dante House Museum* Galileo Museum * Horne Foundation Museum * Jewish Museum* Michelangelo’s House (Casa Buonarroti)* MUDI Children’s Museum Museum & Florentine Institute of Prehistory Museum of Natural History sections: Anthropology & Ethnology* Geology & Paleontology* Minerology & Lithology* Zoology ‘La Specola’* National Archaeological Museum* Orsanmichele* Palatine Gallery (Palazzo Pitti)* Palazzo Davanzati* Palazzo Medici-Riccardi* Palazzo Pitti* Palazzo Strozzi* Palazzo Vecchio* Porcelain Museum* Science & Technical Foundation* Uffizi Gallery* Vasari Corridor

RELIGIOUS SITES Baptistry of San Giovanni* Brancacci Chapel* Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) ‘Dante’s church’ (Santa Margherita de’ Cerchi) Jewish Synagogue* Medici Chapel* Ognissanti San Lorenzo San Marco* Santa Croce* Santa Felicità Santa Maria Novella* Santissima Annunziata Santo Spirito

GARDENS Boboli Gardens* Botanic Gardens*

MARKETS ANTIQUES Borgo Allegri, Via dell’Agnolo, Piazza dei Ciompi, Via Martiri del Popolo Last Sunday of each month (except July): 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. CENTRAL MARKET Via dell’Ariento Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.– 2 p.m. ; Sat: 7 a.m.–5 p.m. July and August: Monday–Saturday: 7 a.m.–2 p.m. CASCINE PARK Food products, clothing, antiques and homewares. J. F. Kennedy Every Tuesday: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. FLEA MARKET Piazza dei Ciompi Daily: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

DIRECT BUS TO PISA AIRPORT Coaches depart from: Pisa Airport arrivals area, in front of the arrivals gate and Florence City Center S.M. Novella Train Station, outside the station. Journey: 70 minutes. From Florence to Pisa: Monday-Friday 3:30, 4:30, 7:15, 8:05, 8:50, 10:10, 11:10, 11:30, 12:05, 13:05, 13:55, 14:40, 15:30, 16:20, 18:05, 18:50 From Florence to Pisa: Saturday-Sunday 4:30, 6:30, 7:15, 8:05, 8:50,10:10, 11:10, 12:05, 13:05, 13:55, 14:40, 15:30, 16:20, 18:05, 18:50

www.airportbusexpress.it

FLOWERS & PLANTS Via Pellicceria (under the loggia) Every Thursday (except public holidays): 8 a.m.–2 p.m. PORCELLINO Clothing, textiles, Florentine straw products, leather and souvenirs. Piazza del Mercato Nuovo, Via Porta Rossa Daily: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m. SAN LORENZO Leather goods (bags, shoes, clothing) and souvenirs. Piazza San Lorenzo and neighboring streets Daily: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m. SANT’AMBROGIO Fresh produce, flowers, clothes and homewares. PIAZZA GHIBERTI Indoor market: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday: 7:30 a.m.–2 p.m.; Wednesday & Friday: 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m.; Saturday: 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Outdoor market: Monday–Saturday: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. SANTO SPIRITO Piazza Santo Spirito Fresh produce: Monday–Saturday: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Handicrafts & antiques: 2nd Sunday of each month (except July & August): 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Organic produce: 3rd Sun of each month).

APPROXIMATE FARES Florence-Pisa Airport .................................. €140 Florence-Bologna Airport ........................... €180 Florence-Montecatini .................................... €90 Florence-Arezzo ........................................... €140 Florence-Siena ............................................. €120 Florence-Livorno ......................................... €160 Florence-San Gimignano ............................ €100 Florence-Outlet Barberino ........................... €65 Barberino A/R+ 1 hr ..................................... €120 Florence-Outlet Leccio ................................. €65 Leccio A/R+1 hr ............................................ €120 Florence-Outlet Prada ................................. €110 Prada A/R+1 hr ............................................. €160 FLORENCE AIRPORT FROM/TO DOWNTOWN

Weekdays – €20 + Luggage Holiday – €22 + Luggage Night – €23 + Luggage Taxi Bus 1 Pax €20** €6* 2 Pax €20 ** €12* 3 Pax €20 ** €18* 4 Pax €20 ** €24* 5 Pax €20 ** €30* *then you need a Taxi/** more €1 each bag

SUMMER EDITION 2015

Florence News & Events

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Sixty Museums in 72 Hours with the Firenze Card COOKING COURSES IN SANTO SPIRITO In Tavola aims to spread Italian food- and wine-rich regional culinary traditions, such as those of Tuscany with its variety of dishes and recipes. Cooking classes as well as individual lessons for both professionals and beginners are offered, with special deals for students. Courses include: Market tour & cooking class, four-course dinner, easy dinner, easy lunch, home-made pasta and pizza & gelato. Via dei Velluti, 18 • 055 21 76 72 www.intavola.org • info@intavola.org

THE RESTAURANT OF THE FLORENTINES Located in Via Ghibellina near Santa Croce, Da Que’ Ganzi offers a fresh seafood and meat menu for both lunch and dinner. Tuscan specialties include ribollita and authentic Florentine steak, and all of the cakes and sweets are homemade. A special weekday lunch menu for less than €10 makes the restaurant affordable for anyone. Special dishes: BAKED SEA BASS & TUSCAN STEAK Mon. to Sun.: 12–2:30 p.m. & 7–11:30 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays. Via Ghibellina, 70/r •055 22 60 010 www.daqueiganzi.it • info@daqueiganzi.it

HAIRDRESSING SALON IN VIA DE’ BENCI • • • • • • • • • • • •

Become a Friend of the Uffizi

For €40 for youth under 25, €60 for an adult and €100 for a family (two adults and two children), the card offers a calendar year’s worth of free privileged entrance to the following museums: Uffizi Gallery Accademia Gallery The Pitti Palace The Palatine Gallery & Royal Apartments The Gallery of Modern Art The Costume Gallery The Medici Treasury The Porcelain Museum The Boboli Gardens The Bardini Gardens Bargello National Museum Museum of the Medici Chapels Museum of Palazzo Davanzati Museum of San Marco Garden of the Medici Villa of Castello Medici Villa of Petraia Medici Villa of Poggio a Caiano Medici Villa of Cerreto Guidi & Historical Hunting Territorial Museum Cenacolo of Ognissanti Cenacolo of Andrea del Sarto Cenacolo of Fuligno Cenacolo of Sant’Apollonia Cloister of the Scalzo www.amicidegliuffizi.it

Via dei Benci, 37r 055 234 48 85

The Firenze Card is your one-stop pass to the museums, churches and gardens of Florence. For €72 it offers: • 72 hours of free access to 60 of Florence’s most popular and important museums, churches and gardens, including current exhibitions, permanent collections and museum activities; • Free use of public transport within Florence; • Immediate access to busy museums – skip long queues and pre-booking; • Dedicated smartphone application to help find the museums, access free wi-fi and give you updated information on exhibits and events; • Though the card can only be used once in each museum by one person, it also allows free entrance for EU citizens under 18 who are members of the same family unit of the cardholder. See the website for full details: www.firenzecard.it

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SURVIVING SUMMER

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Lynn Chadwick’s Garden Retrospective at Villa Bardini between man and nature. Chadwick won his first award at the Venice Biennale in 1952. A later edition of the same exhibition held in 1956 saw him awarded the international prize for sculpture, marked the beginning of a glorious career. Chadwick’s works are mainly on display in New York, London, Paris and Brussels, where he found his greatest success. The garden route curated by Alberto Salvadori in honor of the British artist remains in place until August 30.

Florence is dedicating a ‘bucolic’ route to Lynn Chadwick, one of last century’s master British sculptors, with 24 of his metal artworks on show at Villa Bardini Gardens. Chadwick’s art lends a strong architectural quality to the manual work of a sculptor,

particularly evident in his first works, which are characterized by hand-worked and engraved bronze surfaces. In fact, Chadwick’s art became increasingly more geometric in his later works but nevertheless impart a consistent reflection on the relationship

Lynn Chadwick

Retrospective for two gardens Until August 30 Villa Bardini Gardens: Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Closed on Monday. www.bardinipeyron.it

Forte Belvedere Hosts Gormley

Forte Belvedere is hosting an exhibit on Antony Gormley, one of the most acclaimed sculptors working today. Human brings together more than 100 works by Gormley in the inner rooms of the villa, the bastions, the staircases and the terraces, to occupy every side of the sixteenth-century fortress with its extraordinary views over the city and the surrounding hills. At the core of the exhibition are two arrangements of the famous work Critical Mass II, an ‘anti-monument’ that comprises 12

body forms, each cast five times to produce a total number of sixty works that can exist in any orientation. Made in 1995, the work is a reflection of the darkest side of German history, dedicated to all the victims during the twentieth century. On the east side of the lower terrace, 12 body forms of Critical Mass II are installed in a linear progression, from foetal to stargazing, recalling the ‘ascent of man.’ This dialectic between aspirational and abject is the tension that runs throughout the exhibition.

Human Until September 27 Forte di Belvedere Tue.–Sun.: 10 a.m – 8 p.m. Free entrance

Strolling History in the Shade

Medici villa gardens extend hours for summer

Marine Le Canne

The gardens of the historic Villa Castello, once owned by the Medici family, are now open for extended hours until the end of August. Featuring a spectacular range of citrus trees, rare plants, fountains, a sculpture-filled grotto, and antique and Renaissance statues, the gardens were designed along complex symmetrical lines to celebrate Cosimo I de’ Medici’s rise to the position of Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1538. Cosimo employed Niccolò Tribolo to design the garden but Tribolo never completely realised his vision before his premature death in 1550. Although it took more than 20 years to complete the design due to delays related to Medici business and political affairs, the gardens set a benchmark in Europe, influencing both Italian Renaissance landscaping and later French formal gardens. It was Cosimo III de’ Medici who,

inspired by a strong interest in botany, introduced different species of plants to the garden, including a rare variety of Indian jasmine, and ordered a special greenhouse for his exotic plants to protect them from the winter cold. One of the first villas outside Florence owned by the Medici, Villa Castello dates back to 1477. It originally contained works of art by famous Florentine artists, including Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and Primavera. Although the villa itself is not open to the public, visitors can stroll the gardens free of charge, from 8:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily.

Villa Castello Gardens 8:15 a.m.–7:30 p.m. Closed on the 2nd and 3rd Monday of each month 055 45 26 91 Free entrance

The garden may be closed without warning for technical reasons, we recommend phoning in advance for information.

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Where is the Best Beach? Discover Tuscany’s top 18 shores

Italy’s most important environmental agency, Legambiente, awarded 18 beaches in Tuscany with the Blue Flag last year. Based on a criteria of 32 items, the beaches were categorized by their water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and services. As the weather heats up and a day at the beach beckons, why not check out some of the following spots? Top-rated Tuscan and Italian shores are: Carrara-Marina di Carrara (Massa-Carrara); Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, Camaiore, Viareggio (Lucca); Pisa-Marina di

Pisa, Calambrone, Tirrenia (Pisa); Livorno-Antignano, Quercianella, Rosignano Marittimo-Castiglioncello, Vada, Cecina-Marina, Le Gorette, Bibbona-Marina, Castagneto Carducci, San Vincenzo, Piombino-Parco Naturale della Sterpaia, Marciano Marina-La Fenicia (Livorno); and Follonica, Castiglione della Pescaia, Grosseto-Marina di Grosseto, Principina al mare, and Monte Argentario (Grosseto). Further north, but still very accessible, is the rocky Italian Riviera of Liguria, the area where the Cinque Terre are. Its blue-flag beaches are: Bordighera, Santo Stefano al

mare-Baia azzurra, San Lorenzo al Mare (Imperia); Loano, Pietra Ligure Ponente, Finale Ligure, Noli, Spotorno-Zona Moli Sirio e Sant’Antonio, Bergeggi, Savona-Fornaci, Albissola Marina, Albisola Superiore, Celle Ligure, Varazze (Savona); Chiavari, Lavagna, Moneglia (Genova); and Framura, Lerici, and Ameglia-Fiumaretta (La Spezia). For those planning on traveling south to Rome, the advice is to check out these beaches: Anzio (Roma), Marina di Latina, Sabaudia, San Felice Circeo, Sperlonga, Gaeta, and Ventotene-Cala Nave (Latina).

SURVIVING SUMMER

Escaping the Heat

A guide to the shady spots in Florence

This year’s summer is expected to be the hottest in the last 30 years. For those who prefer to stay outdoors, even in the terrible Florentine summer heat, here is a short guide of the shady spots in the city. Piazzale Michelangelo. The perfect place for a panoramic view of the city, especially great for sunsets. Giardino delle Rose. A green terrace below Piazzale Michelangelo, overlooking the historic center of the city. Address: Viale Giuseppe Poggi 2 (near Piazzale Michelangelo). Bardini Gardens. On the hills near Piazzale Michelangelo is one of Florence’s best kept secrets. Visitors will see camellias, viburnum, hydrangeas, glycines and rose trees of various species. Address: Costa San Giorgio, 2. Giardino dell’Orticoltura. Built in 1879 by Giacomo Roster for the Tuscan Horticultural Society. Transportation: Take bus line 2 from Santa Maria Novella station. Address: Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 4. Botanical Gardens. Established by Cosimo dei Medici in 1545, this is one of the oldest parks in the

world. It is currently maintained by the University of Florence and boasts a collection of carnivorous plants. Address: Via Micheli. Cascine Park. A daytime hotspot for outdoor activities, much loved by Florentines. Every Tuesday the park hosts the city’s largest openair market, with very good offers on local specialties such as cheese, vegetables and honey. Frederick Stibbert Villa. Transformed from a simple Italian park to a romantic English garden by Giuseppe Poggi, this outdoor space features temples, rock caves, fountains and a mysterious Egyptian temple. Entrance to the garden is free; closed only on Thursdays. Address: Via Federigo Stibbert, 26. Why not try the Boboli Gardens? While picnics and jogging are note permitted, they offer a green respite from the summer heat. The Tuscan countryside is also studded with villas, palaces and castles, such as Cafaggiolo and Trebbio in the Mugello region; and the Medici villas of Cerreto Guidi, Petraia and Careggi, which are all waiting to be enjoyed on a nice day.

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On Tour in Florence

BenHeart

Mackenzie McKey

As a leading tour operator in Florence with multilingual staff, Ciao Florence offers a range of regular and private tours to Venice, Rome, Naples and Tuscany. Ciao Florence has a variety of daily and weekend excursions where one can discover the Cinque Terre and hike between the enchanting villages that cling to the cliffs, or dine in the Chianti with a sunset view of Tuscan hills and vineyards.

The tour company also offers its customers the chance to skip the queue at museums and galleries such as the Uffizi and Accademia. Other activities include pizzaand gelato-making classes and Florence Walking Tours (complete with an aperitivo). Tuscan cooking classes and Chianti wine-tasting sessions are also available. For more information visit: www.ciaoflorence.it

A Florentine Branch for Engel & Völkers

With more than 35 years of experience in the brokerage of highend real estate, Engel & Völkers belongs to the leading service providers in the industry today. The international network and the local market knowledge of the company experts create the foundation of its success. This gives the customer invaluable benefits, particularly in the commercial real estate sector. Whether you

wish to sell or to let or are looking for a suitable property yourself, or you are seeking sustainable competitive advantages or the longterm creation of value, Engel & Völkers is the best choice.

Engel & Völkers

Firenze Michelangelo Lungarno Guicciardini, 25-27r 055 281 076

“Your second skin’s dream”

Situated on Via della Vigna Nuova and Via Il Prato in the heart of the city center, BenHeart is a contemporary leather goods store that offers authentically crafted and upscale unisex apparel. Together with his best friend and business partner Matteo Masin, innovative young designer Hicham Ben’Mbarek creates high-quality clothing and accessories, designed solely in Italy and entirely crafted by hand, as well as customized pieces. Ben’Mbarek is a designer continuously on the rise, who has showcased his designs on runways in Japan, the US and Germany, and is internation-

ally recognized for having developed new artisan techniques for the treatment of leather, assimilated from traditions drawn from his native Fez. Sporting an afro and a casually chic look, Ben’Mbarek takes the award for most creative mind. and is the reason behind BenHeart. When he underwent a heart transplant, he woke up with a new perspective on life and realized that he had the chance to express his emotions through his artistic talent; ‘BenHeart’ is tantamount to ‘son of the heart.’ His distinctive look is imprinted on all his leather goods, whether they be shoes, bags, jackets, or belts. Drop by and see for yourself or visit www.benheart.it.

BenHeart

Via della Vigna Nuova, 97/r Via Il Prato, 25/r www.benheart.it

A Vegan Oasis

Bar Silvana spans brunch to lunch and ‘Aperiveg’ Bar Silvana was established in 1970 as your typical traditional cafe and bar. It was not until recently when Ricardo became the owner of the bar that he decided to create a solely vegan menu. With the New Age, health movement becoming widely popular amongst Italians both young and old, Bar Silvana decided to keep up and it has become the only vegan bar in Florence. Its vegan fare is varied and fresh, ranging from themed sandwiches, such as Mediterranean, Tex-Mex and Caprese, to salad, ready-to-go dishes, first courses, desserts, and a range of highly popular freshly squeezed juices, as well as take-

away. Bar Silvana is also an evening and weekend hub, offering a music and art ‘Aperiveg’ aperitivo on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and a long and lazy brunch each Sunday from noon till 3:30

THE BEST SUBS IN TOWN

Sandwiches, Salads, Soups, Onion Rings, Fries, Pasta & Fresh Fruit. Mon. - Sat.: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Via Sant'Egidio, 22/r

347 11 88 056 • theoilshoppe.it

in the afternoon. With funky artwork lining the walls, and fun chairs to sit in, Bar Silvana is a modern and welcoming spot located right in the city center near Santa Croce on Via de’ Neri, 12/r.

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A Gallery of Trophies and Sport History

Take Home Artisan Tradition With Furò e Punteruolo

Stepping into Paolo Fattori’s elegant leather workshop is a surprising experience: light and airy with clean lines and a minimalist feel, it’s where the modern world meets ancient Florentine tradition. Only the lingering scent of leather and the sight of Paolo busily working at an island bench indicates that this is, in fact, a bottega (workshop) producing finely crafted leather bags, backpacs, belts and various articles from the hands of the man himself. Rolls of jewel-colored leather line the walls, numbered and certified by Tuscan company Consorzio Vera Pelle Italiana Conciata al Vegetale, which practises an artisan method of vegetable-dyed leather that has its origins in the Renaissance. Although Paolo has only been working in leather fulltime for six years, he’s already

made a name for himself both in Florence and as far afield as Japan. However, manual dexterity runs in Paolo’s veins; his father and grandfather worked in wood and iron, and he credits them with his ability. “In Tuscany, manual skill is widespread and forms part of the ge-

netic heritage of the region,” he says. Indeed, Paolo’s workshop is named after the two principal instruments of the trade: the furò and punteruolo. Drop by and watch the craftsman at work on Via del Giglio, 29/r, tucked in between San Lorenzo and SMN train station.

Discover Venice in Santa Croce

Murano glass and Carnevale mask enthusiasts need not travel to Venice for quality souvenir items. Alvise Giustinian is a gift and art store specializing in Murano-made items, which guarantees the sale of purely Murano products without importation. Products include masks, jewelry, and glass objects for the home. Jewelry has proven to be the shop’s most popular item, due to the ease of transport and availability of products starting at merely €5, according to its owner Paola. Alvise Giustinian’s spacious interior allows for an abundant selection of gifts and a comfortable shopping experience. Paola’s customers tell her that pric-

es in this beautiful, museum-like shop are lower than those in Venice. If you’re in Florence but looking for classic Venetian crafts such as papier-mâché masks and handmade glass, then Alvise Giustinian is a store worth a visit.

Discover Florence’s soccer museum Tourists drawn to Florence by its art and architecture sometimes miss out completely on one of its most interesting museums: the Museo del Calcio (Soccer Museum) located in the Coverciano area, not far from the stadium. The museum is divided into three floors that reveal the history of Italian and international soccer from its origins in the twentieth century. All jerseys exhibited belonged to former players, and the cleats on display date back to the years of the sport’s pioneers during the second half of the nineteenth century.

Museo del Calcio

Alvise Giustinian Corso Tintori, 19/r 055 246 62 95 www.alvisegiustian.com

(Soccer Museum) Viale Aldo Palazzeschi, 20 Mon–Fri: 9 a.m.–1 p.m.; 3–7 p.m. Sat: 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Sun: Open for group reservations Entry: €5; €3 reduced

A Dynasty in Mosaics Discover the Traversari Brothers

The Fratelli Traversari factory is specialized in mosaics and costume jewelry, with an emphasis on micromosaics whose designs and origins date back to the nineteenth century. The factory is family-owned, and has been for the past four generations. As time passes, the artisan workshop has selected the optimal quality of the mosaics that are used, as well as a mosaic technique that continues to this day. The mosaics are completely handmade and are produced with three different techniques: micromosaic in enamel glass that is spun, mosaic in enamel glass that is cut, and Florentine mosaic made of natural hard stones. The production also includes silver and gilded brass costume jewelry with spun enamel micromosaics. Earrings, rings, pins, bracelets, pendants, boxes, frames, and crosses include the jewelry and objects that are created. The workshop also reproduces mosaic portraits, works of art, and tabletops; as well as micromosaic restoration. Many ideas for mosaics are based on clients’ designs and ideas that are then transformed into masterpieces. The factory has been in the family since 1870, when it was founded. The founder, Arturo, began with a small souvenir shop on Via Ser Ventura Monaci, in the zone of Piazza Ferrucci. However, it was already focused on micromosaics, especially high-quality jewelry. In 1944, the factory was given to Arturo’s two children, Alfredo and Aldo, and moved to Via Pendemonte. From there, they established the produc-

Micromosaics are made of tiny pieces obtained by cutting long thin glass rods made by melting and spinning highly colored Murano glass.

tion of new items, such as earrings, rings, pins, bracelets, frames, and crosses. Today, the workshop is handled by Daniele and Letizia, who are the fourth generation of the Traversari family. For 150 years a family tradition has been passed on, a common patrimony that expresses a unique and precious artistic inheritance. This technique of micromosaics was born in Rome in 1750. The stones are placed on teghe, which are thin sticks in glass-spun enamel of various forms and colors, and then into a special oven with Murano glass. Due to the spinner, they are melted together to draw different forms and shapes: plates, rose petals, daisy petals, miosotis, leaves, and other forms.

THE BAR YOUR MOM WARNED YOU ABOUT The newly reopened Jack is ready to rock ‘n’ roll! Come by for lunch or dinner and try the revamped menu featuring traditional Italian food and American staples. Enjoy live music, DJ sets and the costume parties that Jack has become famous for, as well as two HD screens showcasing special sporting events. If all that Italian espresso just isn’t hitting the mark, drop by One-Eyed Jack’s to enjoy American coffee with a free refill between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Free wifi is also available. Daily from 11 a.m.–2 a.m.

Piazza Nazario Sauro, 2/r 055 09 44 561 www.thejackpub.com

NEW JOMA FIORENTINA 2014-2015 KITS

Get your Fiorentina souvenirs with a 15% discount when you show this paper at the FLORENCE CURIOSITY SHOP next to Pizzeria O’Vesuvio in Via de’ Cimatori, 23/r.

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Merenda in Sartoria

The art of sewing

Marianna Jaross

“Colourful, creative, and social” are three words used by founder and creator Romana Rocchino to describe Merenda in Sartoria, a needlecraft workshop tucked away on the quieter side of bridge, in the heart of San Frediano. Romana’s love for sewing began approximately three years ago, when working with an artist prompted her to know the intricacies of sewing – both with a machine and without, something she asserts is a lost art, and an interest she hopes to rekindle for others. Sewing machines are available to rent for those who need only the equipment to do make their own clothes, or do repairs without assistance or supervision. For those who are new to the art of sewing and design, Rocchino offers ‘Stitch and Bitch’ sessions to learn

how to create, repair, transform or customize a wardrobe. What the shop offers is not simply limited to sewing; classes are available in knitting, crocheting, and other workshops are run throughout the year, further fusing creativity with a friendly atmosphere. In fact, the workshop’s title derives from the idea of enjoying afternoon tea at the tailor’s. Merenda in Sartoria is a great place to delve into the world of design more seriously for aspiring seamstresses, or to pursue a budding hobby amidst an environment of good conversation and innovation. Events are announced on Facebook.

Merenda in Sartoria

Via del Drago d’Oro, 11/r 338 958 9205 info@merendainsartoria.com

Reinventing Suitcases

The first company to introduce at which he worked to begin spethe American novelty of rigid suit- cializing in suitcases, is the reason cases to the Italian market, Valige- for its swift rise to success. By the ria Gazzarrini is a historic shop in 1920s Gazzarrini was already recFlorence, one that has marked the ognized for the quality of its prodcommercial history of the city. ucts at national and international The combination of innovation trade fairs, and four generations and determination that has char- later it supplies top leather good acterized the company since its and travel accessories worldwide. beginnings in 1911, when found- Today the story continues in the er Giuseppe Gazzarrini bought vein of its Florentine artisan roots, the leather manufacturing firm with a dual focus on quality Italian

goods such as Labiena 1856 and Orobianco, and emerging trends in international brands, including Longchamp, Tumi and Samsonite.

Valigeria Gazzarrini

Open daily: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Via Porta Rossa, 71-73/r 055 21 27 47 info@valigeriagazzarrini.com www.valigeriagazzarrini.com

Strolling and Shopping Florence Online A new platform for shopping in den away in its maze of winding Florence has been launched on- streets. YouMODY’s objective is to make line. Entitled YouMODY, the concept these artisans more visible and enables consumers to ‘stroll’ the enable them to be ‘visited’ by a streets of Florence virtually, and greater number of virtual clients, enter the city’s most prestigious in order to promote the range and shops and artisan workshops to quality of items hand-produced in Florence. buy products. It’s the first time such a compre- “We have united Florence and the hensive approach has been taken ‘Made in Italy’ brand to enable to online shopping in Florence. those who can’t be here physicalWhile the city is renowned for its ly to stroll the streets of Florence craftsmanship, many of these and go shopping,” says concept traditional workshops are hid- founder Lorenzo Bulgarini.

Consumers can browse shops that range in location from the city’s most exclusive thoroughfares, such as Via de’ Tornabuoni and the Ponte Vecchio, to the centrally located Via Porta Rossa, Via della Vigna Nuova, Via de’ Rondinelli and Via del Parione; and Borgo San Jacopo and Via de’ Bardi in the traditionally artisan Oltrarno district. Items can be purchased online via computer, smartphone or tablet, and are delivered free worldwide by specialized courier.

HAIRDRESSER AND BEAUTY SERVICES Located near Santa Croce, Alchimia offers a variety of women and mens’s hair and beauty services using the finest brands. Open daily from 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m. Services include: • Haircuts, color and highlight • GreatLengths® extensions • Keratin reconstruction & hair botox • ESSIE Gel reconstruction and permanent enamel • Acrylic nail care • Waxing • Massage (healing and relaxation) • Eyelash extensions

Via dell’Agnolo, 47–49–51/r 055 24 16 04 www.alchimia-hairdesign.com

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24 Florence News & Events

EVENTS

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EXHIBITIONS

CARLO DOLCI Until November 15 Pitti Palace, Palatine Gallery Tuesday to Sunday 8:15 p.m.–6:50 p.m.; Closed on Monday www.polomuseale.firenze.it

GIANFRANCO FERRONI AT THE UFFIZI GALLERY Until July 5 Uffizi Gallery 10 a.m.–5 p.m. www.polomuseale.firenze.it

CERAMICS OF THE FLORENTINE MANUFACTURE (1880-1920) The Bruno Caini Collection Until July 15 Exhibition Hall - Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze Monday to Friday 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m.–1 p.m./3 p.m.–7 p.m. www.entecarifirenze.it

FAIRS & MARKETS

MIRABILIA. THE ANIMAL, PLANT, MINERAL WORLD IN THE MEDICI PORTRAITS Until July 26 Natural History Museum - Zoology Section, La Specola Tuesday to Sunday: 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Closed Monday

FLO-KYO 1965-2015. FLORENCE AND KYOTO TWIN CITIES Until July 31 Natural History Museum Anthropology and Ethnology Section 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Closed on Wednesday

DA VINCI ALIVE Until August 2 Chiesa di S.Stefano al Ponte Monday to Thursday 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.11:30 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m. The ticket office closes one hour before the exhibition closing time.

THE DREAM AND THE GLORY The armory of Frederick Stibbert through his masterpieces Until September 6 Stibbert Museum Mon.-Wed.: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Closed on Thursday

THE ILLUSION OF SCILTIAN Until September 6 Villa Bardini Tuesday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Closed on Monday www.bardinipeyron.it

FRANCISCAN ART Masterpieces of Italian art and Asian lands from the 13th to the 15th centuries Until October 11 Accademia Gallery 8:15 a.m.-6:50 p.m.

A RENAISSANCE DINNER TABLE Until October 31 Bargello National Museum 8:15 a.m.–5 p.m.; Closed on Monday

VINTAGE SELECTION The Vintage Clothing, Accessories and Designer Objects Fair July 1-4 from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Stazione Leopolda

PITTI IMMAGINE FILATI July 1-3 Fortezza da Basso BAGLIONI MODA FILATI July 1-3 Grand Hotel Baglioni www.baglionimoda.it SANTO SPIRITO FAIR July 17 from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Piazza Santo Spirito

HERO IN FLORENCE Saracino interprets Michelangelo Until September 20 Accademia Gallery 8:15 a.m.–6.50 p.m.; Closed on Monday

MAGNIFICENT Until October 31 Palazzo Vecchio, Sala d’Arme Monday to Sunday 9 a.m.–7 p.m. (last show at 6:30pm); Thursday 9 a.m.–2 p.m. (last show at 1:30 p.m.)

MARE D’ AMARE 2015 July 18-20 Fortezza da Basso CIOMPI MONTHLY ANTIQUE FAIR August 30 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Piazza dei Ciompi

FESTIVALS

PAINTERS FOR MUSIC PRIMO CONTI, 1935 -1939 Until July 19 Museo Novecento Mon., Tue., Wed., Sat. & Sun.: 9 a.m.–7 p.m., Thursday: 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Friday: 9 a.m.–11 p.m. www.museonovecento.it

LUTE PLAYER BY FRANCESCO SALVIATI FROM THE MUSÉE JACQUEMART-ANDRÉ Until July 20 Pitti Palace, Palatine Gallery Tuesday to Sunday 8:15 a.m.–6:50 p.m.; Closed on Monday SCULPTURE ALSO DIES: SCULPTURE BEYOND 2000s Until July 26 CCC Strozzina

GIOSETTA FIORONI - LOVE Until August 8 ZetaEffe Art Gallery, Via Maggio, 47r Tuesday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-1/3:307:30 p.m.; Monday: 3:30-7:30 p.m.; Sunday by appointment.

LYNN CHADWICK: A RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION FOR TWO GARDENS Until August 30 Bardini Garden: Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; Closed on Monday. www.bardinipeyron.it GREAT SMALL BRONZES OF THE MEDICI AND GRANDUCAL COLLECTIONS Until August 31 National Archaeological Museum

DALÌ MEETS DANTE Until September 27 Galleria delle Carrozze, Palazzo Medici Riccardi 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

SACRED TREASURES OF MEDICI FAMILY DEVOTION Until November 3 Museum of Medici Chapels Monday to Sunday 8:15 a.m.–4:50 p.m.; Closed on the 2nd and 4th Sunday and 1st, 3rd and 5th Monday of each month FLORENCE DANCE FESTIVAL July 9-30 Bargello National Museum www.florencedancefestival.org

PIERO DI COSIMO Until September 27 Uffizi Gallery 8:15 a.m.-6:50 p.m., Closed on Monday ANTONY GORMLEY: HUMAN Until September 29 Via S. Leonardo, 1 10 a.m.–8 p.m. (last entrance 7 p.m.); Closed on Monday www.musefirenze.it LAPIS LAZULI: THE MAGIC OF BLUE Until October 11 Pitti Palace, The Medici Treasury 8:15 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

BEFORE FLORENCE: 3000 YEARS OF HISTORY AT PONTE A GREVE Until January 10 National Archaeological Museum A PALACE AND THE CITY Until April 3 Salvatore Ferragamo Museum 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. NATURAL MATERIALS Experiment and esthetic construction according to Roberto Capucci Until May 14 Villa Bardini

FEAST OF ST ANNE July 26 at 8:45 p.m. Piazza Signoria, Piazza Duomo & Via Calzaiuoli FEAST OF ST LAWRENCE August 10 Piazza San Lorenzo

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ENTERTAINMENT

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ODEON CINEMA

Piazza Strozzi, Firenze 055 214 068 Office: 055 295 051 www.odeonfirenze.com Tickets: regular: €7.50; reduced: €6* *Every Wednesday; students from Mon. to Fri. and selected partnerships.

DIRECTOR: Louis Nero STARS: F. Murray Abraham, Valerio Massimo Manfredi, Diana Dell’Erba PLOT: A journey in the footsteps of the most famous of Italian initiates of the fourteenth century, the author of the celebrated Divine Comedy. A poet who has inspired some of the most outstanding minds in history, adapting and continuing an ancestral tradition aiming at seeing reality through the myth. Since the nineteenth century, many important scholars have tried to unfold the mystery hidden behind Dante’s cantos. During this voyage we will try to go one step further in the understanding of this secret.

DIRECTOR: Tim Burton STARS: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder PLOT: A kind inventor is almost finished piecing together his latest creation when fate prevents him from completing his most important project. Edward may seem dangerous, with scissors instead of hands, but when a compassionate Avon lady comes calling, it’s clear that things are going to be changing for him after having been alone in the large empty mansion. What they both don’t realize is that the most important change of all won’t be found in him but in the residents of the sleepy suburb he will be calling home and a young teenage girl whose eyes will be opened. DATES/HOURS: Thursday, July 2: 9 p.m.

DIRECTOR: Tom Vaughan STARS: Jessica Alba, Salma Hayek, Pierce Brosnan PLOT: By day, Richard Haig is a successful and well-respected English professor at renowned Trinity College in Cambridge. By night, Richard indulges his own romantic fantasies with a steady stream of beautiful undergraduates. But Richard has grown tired of the game and is looking for something more meaningful and lasting. So when Kate, Richard’s tanned, athletic, 25-yearold American girlfriend tells him that she is pregnant, Richard is thrilled. He looks forward to having a family of his own, being a father his children could be proud of, not some sex-fueled bobcat. There is only one problem. Richard’s not in love with Kate. Richard is in love with Kate’s sister, Olivia. He had been in love with her ever since he first saw her.

DIRECTOR: Laura Poitras STARS: Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, William Binney PLOT: A documentarian and a reporter travel to Hong Kong for the first of many meetings with Edward Snowden. DATES/HOURS: Thursday, July 14: 9 p.m.

DATES/HOURS: Friday, July 3: 5:30, 9 p.m. Saturday, July 4: 5:30, 9 p.m. Sunday, July 5: 5:30, 9 p.m. Thursday, July 9: 5:30, 9 p.m. Sunday, July 12: 5:30, 9 p.m. Monday, July 13: 5:30, 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 14: 5:30, 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 15: 5:30, 9 p.m.

DATES/HOURS: July 1-19 Every day at 7:30 p.m. Except: July 8, 9, 10, 11 Film & glass of wine: €9

DIRECTOR: Alan Taylor STARS: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke PLOT: John Connor sends Kyle Reese back in time to protect Sarah Connor, but when he arrives in 1984, nothing is as he expected it to be.

DIRECTOR: Maya Forbes STARS: Zoe Saldana, Mark Ruffalo PLOT: A manic-depressive mess of a father tries to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters, who don’t make the overwhelming task any easier. DATES/HOURS: Wednesday, July 1: 5:30, 9 p.m. Thursday, July 2: 5:30 p.m.

DIRECTOR: Seth MacFarlane STARS: Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane, Amanda Seyfried PLOT: When Ted (Seth MacFarlane) tells his best friend John (Mark Wahlberg) that he and his new bride Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth) want to have a baby, everyone is thrilled. John decides to help him. After failing to get Tom Brady to unknowingly donate sperm, John offers to donate himself, but when things don’t work out, the two to come up with an alternative—adoption. In order to adopt a child, the state requires that Ted prove that he is a person, and not a possession, in a court of law. With the help of a recent law-school grad named Samantha L. Jackson (Amanda Seyfried), Ted and John set off to court to get the teddy bear the right to be recognized as a person. DATES/HOURS: Friday, July 3: 5:15, 9 p.m. Saturday, July 4: 5:15, 9 p.m. Sunday, July 5: 5:15, 9 p.m.

DATES/HOURS: Thursday, July 16: 5:15, 9 p.m. Friday, July 17: 5:15, 9 p.m. Saturday, July 18: 5:15, 9 p.m. Sunday, July 19: 5:15, 9 p.m.

DIRECTOR: Richard Loncraine STARS: Diane Keaton, Morgan Freeman, PLOT: Forty years ago, artist Alex Carver bought a run-down apartment in a sketchy part of Brooklyn with his wife, schoolteacher Ruth. Today, their apartment is worth a small fortune. The now-retired Ruth and Alex haven’t changed; they are still as much in love as ever. But they have let Ruth’s niece Lily, a real estate agent, list their property to see what the market might bring. DATES/HOURS: Monday, July 6: 5:30, 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 7: 5:30, 9 p.m.

Festival au Désert The annual festival is designed to bring together an array of performers, including the great diva ‘OUM’, known as the ‘soul of Morocco.’ During the festival, individuals have the opportunity to participate in workshops on music and African culture held by guest musicians. 24-25 of July at Le Murate www.festivalpresenzedafrica.eu

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LEISURE

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Discover the Adventure Park

Have Fun in Tuscany on Horseback

Ivana Scatola

Reachable in 15 minutes with Bus 25A from Piazza San Marco If you thought art was all Florence had to offer, think again. A fantastic opportunity to get yourself and the kids out into the fresh air is a day at an adventure park. Just outside Florence in Pratolino is Tuscany’s largest forest adventure park, Il Gigante. Taking you high up into the trees to climb, jump, and slide along zip-wires, the park has more than 10 rope courses at six different difficulty levels, based on age and height, with the training and assistance of expert instructors. And it’s not just for adults! The hardest black-ropes course is 15 meters above the ground, but there are also many courses suitable for kids aged three years and

up. It’s the perfect location for all kinds of celebrations, such as birthday parties, with discounts available for school groups and scouts/summer camp groups. The trails, meadows, and picnic areas also offer a great place to escape from the city and have fun in nature. Located in the woods of Poggio la Garena of Pratolino, just across from the Medici Villa Demidoff, the adventure park is reachable by ATAF bus 25A from the Piazza San Marco stop ‘La Pira’, or by SITA bus 306 from the train station. Those who fear heights or simply don’t wish to climb can enter for free and relax at the corner bar.

Opening Hours: June to September Tuesday to Sunday: 10 a.m.– sunset Rest of the season Saturday, Sunday and festival days: 10 a.m.– sunset Closed December to February The park can be booked outside of these hours for groups of minimum 10 people. Via Fiorentina, 276–5036 www.parcoavventurailgigante.it

Having explored Tuscany on horseback, the only way this experience could compare would be experiencing it via Vespa or quad bike – two options that tour operator Fun in Tuscany offers as well. The day was jam-packed with new experiences, beautiful sights and tastes, and a wonderful group of people: unquestionably one of the best I’ve had in Tuscany yet. After a hack through a beautiful Tuscan forest that wove in and out of vineyards, we tasted the range of gorgeous homemade honey. We then went on to the ancient hilltop town of San Gimignano (built in 1300), where we experienced incredible gelato and stunning Tuscan views, before moving onto a restaurant villa in which we were given a private room and a traditional Tuscan three-course meal to accompany our wine-tasting. Fun In Tuscany’s success is attributed to the fact that the tour is unlike other typical, ‘supermarket

tourism’ tour organisers. All tours are undertaken in groups of maximum eight people, and cater to the interests of the group. Private time is provided so that people can explore the place themselves, yet the option is available to follow an organiser if they so wish. In this way, the group and the tour have a very intimate and personal feel, and you really gain the strong impression that the organisers are truly interested in you as people, instead of simply tourists and clients. They took us to places I would never have been able to find myself if I were organising a personal trip; such as a gelateria that has twice won the Gelato World Championships in San Gimignano. They were incredibly obliging to our requests and questions and refreshingly knowledgeable. What I loved seeing most was that they really were enjoying themselves on the tour along with us – having true, genuine ‘Fun in Tuscany.’ www.funintuscany.com

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FOOD & WINE

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A Healthier Option: Ristorante Quinoa

Leah Meyers Ristorante Quinoa began in Florence only one year ago, but has already become a popular lunch and dinner spot because of its unique, healthy food choices and all-day hours. Ristorante Quinoa is known for their strictly gluten free menu. However, they offer vegetarian and vegan options as well. Although the restaurant does offer dishes with meat and fish on their daily menu, they tend to offer more dishes with vegetables because the chef himself is vegan. The chef also prepares a special menu each morning that changes from day to day and differs from the regular menu. Most places in Italy offer a lot of fish and a lot of meat and not as many vegetables, so this factor makes Ris-

torante Quinoa stand out. Where it once seemed to be a challenge to make certain foods gluten free, Ristorante Quinoa has now mastered the process and customers do not taste a difference in their pasta or bread. Ristorante Quinoa is located at the Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore in a secluded area. There is an outdoor and indoor eating section of the restaurant. If you choose to eat outdoors, it will seem as if you are eating amongst a beautiful garden. Both indoor and outdoor tables have plants as center-pieces to contribute to the healthy lifestyle theme of the restaurant. The restaurant is open everyday. The hours for Sunday and Monday are from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. and the hours for Tuesday - Saturday are 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

MEDITERRANEAN SEAFOOD SPECIALTIES San Carlo bar offers continental and American breakfast and brunch, simple but refined lunch, a large aperitivo buffet, and an extensive wine and cocktail list. Music and art create a warm, lively atmosphere while friendly staff members are always ready to cater to any requests. San Carlo is a bar suited to any time of day: great for a quick coffee or snack, a leisurely aperitivo or meal, or simply an afterdinner drink with friends. Specialty: TUNA STEAK Borgo Ognissanti, 32-34/r 055 21 68 79 info@sancarlofirenze.it www.sancarlofirenze.it

A Florentine Tradition

The smell of tripe cooking on the streets of Florence was once so overwhelming that Lorenzo de’ Medici banned the kiosks altogether. However, such was its popularity that once the Medici lost power, tripe returned in force and secured its place as a mainstay of Florentine street food. Initially, tripe was a staple food for laborers and the working classes, and it dates as far back as the fourteenth century. Simple wooden street carts served sandwiches stuffed with tripe, and this tradition continues today, albeit in the more sophisticated kiosks that can be found dotted around the city. Trippa, or tripe, is made from the cow’s pre-stomachs, and is soft, white, and mostly flavorless. Enjoyed in many regions of Italy, it is cooked in a variety of ways. Lampredotto, however, is the

Your one-stop shop for a lampredotto sandwich in Piazza dei Cimatori and San Lorenzo

In true Florentine tradition, the outdoor food cart provides trippa, lampredotto, lesso, poppa, matrice, porchetta, salumi, and wild boar sausages made fresh daily. L’Antico Trippaio is the best place to enjoy excellent panini and focacce like a true local. Just steps from the Duomo, it is one of the most frequented lunch spots in the historic city center.

uniquely local Florentine version, made from the cow’s fourth www.anticotrippaio.it stomach, called the abomasum. Tuscan cooks boil it with tomatoes, onions, parsley and celery for two to three hours and then serve it in a Tuscan bread roll

with salt, pepper, chilli oil or salsa verde (green sauce). Locals recommend L’Antico Trippaio, which has a reputation for making the best lampredotto in town, located in Piazza dei Cimatori and Piazza Salvemini.

Dining with Dante

Taverna La Divina Commedia offers medieval-style dishes

Named after Dante Alighieri’s most famous work, The Divine Comedy, this homely, rustic taverna fittingly lies on Via dei Cimatori, only a few meters away from Dante’s House. The venue prides itself on its innovative and creative idea of preparing solely traditional dishes based on medieval recipes. Some are adapted and revisited for the modern age but in a way that one maintains the omnipresent feeling of Florentine history and tradition – so much so that Dante himself could walk in and dine

next to you. As a matter of fact, this is a regular occurrence at Taverna La Divina Commedia, as the venue regularly hosts recitals from Dante’s great work by professional costumed performers. Traditional medieval-style dishes include home-made ribbon pasta with wild boar and mushroom sauce, roast shin of pork with new potatoes and seasonal vegetables, risotto inspired by medieval Tuscan flavors, and tasting plates of assorted cheeses accompanied with fresh fruit and jams, including the taverna’s specialty hot red

pepper jam. Also serving as a wine bar and pizzeria, the restaurant offers an eclectic selection of wines from its cellar, an outdoor summer terrace, and is fittingly decorated in a medieval style with armour and banners – and, of course, a mandatory bust of Dante himself.

Taverna La Divina Commedia

Via dei Cimatori, 7/r 055 21 53 69 Open daily: 11.30 a.m.–12.30 a.m.

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TUSCANY

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Filippino Lippi’s Annunciations Showcased

Marine Le Canne Two paintings by Florentine Renaissance painter Filippino Lippi portraying the theme of the Annunciation are on display at San Gimignano’s town hall until November 2, following recent restoration. The first painting focuses on the archangel Gabriel as he bears the news that the Virgin will give birth to Christ, while the second portrays the Virgin receiving the news, her eyes cast downwards. Both were commissioned by San Gimignano’s Guelph party Priors and Captains for the city’s Palazzo Comunale (town hall) in 1482. A major feature of the exhibition is the display of historic documents

detailing the paintings’ commission, preserved in San Gimignano’s city archives for five centuries, which give voice to the Guelph party’s civic spirit and desire to beautify their city’s seat of government. The exhibit also includes original sketches from Filippo Lippi from the same period, on loan from the Uffizi Gallery. Lippi, who lived in the second half of the fifteenth century, began his career as an artist training under his father Filippo. Both worked together in the cathedral of Spoleto in Umbria, where they began to paint frescoes depicting the life of the Virgin Mary. Lippi eventually completed the frescoes following the death of his father in 1469.

Lippi went on to become an apprentice under Sandro Botticelli, who had also been a pupil of his father. Lippi’s first works greatly resemble those of Botticelli’s, but with less sensitivity and subtlety. He was also drawn to Dutch paintings of his time, which are still prominent in Renaissance exhibitions today, particularly at the Uffizi Gallery.

Filippino Lippi and the Annunciation of San Gimignano Town Hall of San Gimignano (Pinacoteca di San Gimignano) Until November 2 €7.50; €6.50 (reduced price) www.sangimignanomusei.it

Musica da Vino Returns on August 2

Wine-tasting and classical music: the Musica da Vino formula hosted annually by Fattoria il Piano continues on August 2 with a concert by Dutch Hans Pieter Herman, accompanied by the pianist Claudia Gori, from Pistoia. Andrea Carlesi will join the two musicians, with the French horn. He will be playing a trio of Schubert, “Auf der Storm,” which is an unedited piece, but of first quality sound. This piece was written by Richard Burke specifically for the baritone Hans Pieter Herman, with the title “Over the Hills and Far Away.” Therefore, it will be the first time it will be performed worldwide! Wine tasting starts at 5 p.m., and the concert initiates at 7 p.m. Following that will be the buffet, in a park overlooking the chapel that dates back to the 1700s. Perched at the top of a hill facing

the medieval town of San Gimignano, the Fattoria il Piano has a splendid view overlooking Tuscan trees, vineyards and olive groves. The converted farmhouses offer guests a comfortable stay with apartments and a panoramic swimming pool featuring sunbeds, umbrellas and a changing room. Surrounding fields, woods and stretches of agricultural can be explored on foot or mountain bikes, which may be hired locally. Fattoria il Piano offers wine-tasting tours that begin with a stroll through the vineyards, family chapels and even the underground cellar, carved out of the earth by local workers in 1925. Accompanied by a selection of local foods, the tasting of local wines takes place on the veranda with a magnificent view of the San Gimignano towers.

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TUSCANY

www.florencenewsandevents.com

Explore the Gagliardi Contemporary Art Gallery

The Galleria Gagliardi was established in 1991, in a 400-square-meter space once used as a garage and farm machinery store. Today, the Galleria bears absolutely no resemblance to the original building apart from a section of the floor made up of oak boards, covering a hole which once enabled repairs to the underside of cars and machinery in the absence of a ramp. This work of art was created by the pre-

vious owner, Dino Conforti, and has been left in his memory. Since 1991, the exhibition area of the gallery has been extended and the gallery has now become a cultural reference for the promotion and sale of contemporary art. Every work is chosen directly from the studios of artists who constantly experiment new solutions through their research, renewing their approach and skills.

The gallery exhibits ceramic, bronze and marble sculptures; conceptual, abstract and figurative paintings as well as works in steel, iron and wood by Italian and international artists.

Galleria Gagliardi Contemporary Art

Via San Giovanni, 57 San Gimignano galleria@galleriagagliaradi.com

A Journey Through Human Cruelty

The Torture and Death Penalty Museum displays more than 100 tools designed to torture and kill. Some of these tools are extremely rare, dating to the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They include the notorious ‘iron maiden,’ the guillotine, rack, torture chair and the chastity belt. Also on display are lesser-known sophisticated devices, such as the ‘heretic’s fork,’ the ‘noisemaker’s fife,’ the ‘Spanish spider’, and flaying instruments.

Via San Giovanni, 82 & 125 San Gimignano Open daily: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. 0577-940526, 055-940151 Tickets: Full €10 Concessions: €7; Groups: €5 Ticket valid for free admission to the Museum of Death Penalty www.museodellatortura.it

From Gallo Nero to DOCG: the story of Chianti Classico

Lucy David According to Tuscan native Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), “Wine is sunlight, held together by water”. He may well have been speaking of Chianti Classico, the veritable original of the Chianti clan, which carves out its territory between Florence and Siena. Since 1924, this production zone covering 14 municipalities has been protected by the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium, founded to protect the integrity of the Chianti Classico label. Chianti is classified into different denominations depending on the area in which it is produced, and in order to qualify for DOCG (controlled and guaranteed denomination of origin) status, strict rules must be adhered to. Chianti Classico wine must contain grapes grown within the production zone and comprise 80–100 percent Sangiovese and up to 20 percent of approved local and international varieties. True Chianti Classico is noted for its ruby-red color, limpidity, floral aroma combined with red fruits,

with a harmonious, dry and tannic flavor and a minimum alcohol content of 12 percent. Chianti Classico Riserva (Reserve) may exhibit fine and spicy notes and contain a minimum of 12.5 percent alcohol. According to legend, the so-called gallo nero or black rooster became a symbol of the Chianti region after a horse race was organized by the two rival republics of Siena and Florence to decide their official borders. A cockcrow was established as the departure signal for the two horsemen in their respective cities; however Florence tricked Siena by starving its black rooster so that it began crowing before sunrise, enabling the Florentine rider to set off well in advance of his Sienese rival. The Florentine met his opponent a mere 12 kilometers from Siena, thereby winning the Chianti region for Florence. The black rooster became a symbol of the League of Chianti in the Middle Ages and Gallo Nero is now the official mark of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium, one of the most renowned wine brands in the world.

MONTAGLIARI FARMHOUSE COOKING CLASSES & WINE TASTINGS Since 1720 Fattoria Montagliari has produced Chianti Classico DOCG, Chianti Classico Riserva, Brunesco di San Lorenzo IGT, grappa, brandy, amaro di San Lorenzo, aged vin santo, extra-virgin olive oil, and aged Trebbiano balsamic (20 and 28 years). Products can be purchased from the online shop as well as in the farm store and restaurant. The farm, located in the heart of Chianti, offers cooking classes and wine tastings. Bus stop: ‘Cappelli’ between Lamole Panzano in Chianti. V. Montagliari, 29 Panzano in Chianti 055 85 20 14 info@fattoriamontagliari.com www.fattoriamontagliari.com

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TUSCANY

www.florencenewsandevents.com

Siena Duomo Reveals its Famous Floor a Month Early

Marine Le Canne Siena Duomo’s intricate marble floor is being unveiled to the public an unprecedented month earlier than usual this year as part of Milan Expo festivities. Although usually covered to protect it from the cathedral’s hordes of visitors and revealed each year on August 18 after the Palio and until the end of October, 2015 sees the floor exposed throughout the month of July as well. Described by Giorgio Vasari as “the most beautiful, grand, and magnificent” pavement ever created, it is famous not only for its detailed inlaid work but also for the themes regarding the search for knowledge that it conveys. Work on the pavement began in the

fourteenth century and continued by tinting the base instead of usover subsequent centuries until ing different pieces of stone, also the nineteenth century. reflects Milan Expo’s theme of The floor was created using en- ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’, graving techniques and variously with water as the source of both hued local marble ranging from life and additionally, in Christian yellow to grey and green. The ini- iconography, a symbol of salvation. tial designs for the 56 inlays were A catalogue is available detailing produced by important artists, al- the iconography of the entire floor, most all from Siena, including Sas- as well as audio guides and multisetta, Domenico di Bartolo, Matteo media tablets that enable closer exdi Giovanni, Domenico Beccafu- amination of details that are othermi, as well as the ‘foreign’ painter wise difficult to see. Pinturicchio from Umbria, whose Monte della Sapienza is famous for Siena Duomo Floor its symbolic representation of the Open: July 1–31; path to virtue through inner serenAugust 18 – October 27 ity. Mon to Sat: 10:30 a.m.–7 p.m. Domenico Beccafumi’s frieze of Sun: 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. Moses Drawing Water from the Tickets: €7/€12/€15/€20 Rock, creating using his innovative (depending on sites selected) technique of colouring marble hue

Pistoia Blues Rocks till July 24

Marianna Jaross The Pistoia Blues festival is back for the 36th edition from July 1 to 24. Established in 1980 as the first Italian music festival dedicated to blues, Pistoia Blues now hosts international artists of musical genre other than blues, including important names from the rock and the pop international scene. This year, the festival honors blues legend BB King on July 17 with its Italian Blues Night (free entrance). Starting at 7 p.m., festivalgoers have a unique opportunity to listen to 10 emerging talents of Objective Bluesin and other special guests.

Divine Beauty Discovering Siena

This year also marks the return of Carlos Santana, who performs on July 21 and the first performance by Sting on July 24. Other featured artists include Mike Rosenberg aka Passenger, an English singer-songwriter on July 15, Black Label Society, an American metal/hard rock band formed by former guitarist Zakk Wylde of Ozzy Osbourne, followed by the English flamboyant rock band The Darkness on July 18. Dream Theater, one of the most influential bands of the prog-rock world of the last 30 years takes center-stage on July 19. For more information on concert times and ticket sales, visit pistoiablues.com

Marine Le Canne The city of Siena hosts Divine Beauty: Discovering Siena from July 24 to September 30, a sensory experience in five acts that traces the history of the city and its famous cathedral. Designed to offer visitors a deeper understanding of the city’s history and people, the project uses video-mapping to bring Siena’s Duomo and its monuments to life in a blend of visual poetry and narrative. “Divine Beauty: Discovering Siena is a project of international scope, which makes the invisible visible and not only revives the history of Siena and the Duomo but also the spirit and the soul of an entire city,” said Alfredo Accatino, creative director of collaborating partner

Filmmaster Events. The initiative utilized top international talent, including visual direction by Romain Sabella and art direction by Charles Darby, whose skills can be seen films such as Titanic and the Matrix and Harry Potter series, while Accatino himself is internationally renowned for his works, which include the 2006 Turin Olympic and Paralympic Games. Divine Beauty is scheduled every day of the week in multiple languages, with two projections in the evening after sunset.

Divine Beauty: Discovering Siena July 24–Sept 30 Piazza Jacopo della Quercia, Siena

Lucca Summer Festival Returns

Bob Dylan, Billy Idol, Lenny Kravitz among guests

Leah Meyers

The 18th annual Lucca Summer Festival is back for the month of July. The music festival, which takes place inside the city walls of Lucca at Piazza Napoleone, consists of 13 concerts of different genres. This edition is filled with important names. Bob Dylan kicks off the festival on July 1, marking his first performance ever since the festival’s premiere in 1998, where he performed as the opening act. Other artists set to

perform at this edition include, The Script (July 9), Billy Idol (July 10), Elton John (July 11), Lenny Kravitz (July 26). Rapper, Snoop Dogg concludes the festival with a performance on July 28.

Lucca Summer Festival

July 1-28 Piazza Napoleone www.summer-festival.com Tickets will also be available at: Piazza San Michele Via San Paolini and del Giglio Via S. Girolamo (Lucca)

THE IRISH PUB IN SAN LORENZO The historic bar offers quality beer, fresh cocktails, sandwiches and snacks amidst a traditional Irish pub atmosphere. The pub also offers various promotions and contests with many exciting prizes. The genuine atmosphere together with the helpful and inviting staff make Dublin Pub an ideal place to spend fun nights in good company or enjoy a beer any time while listening to great background music. Open daily from 5 p.m.

Via Faenza, 27 055 27 41 571 info@dublinpub.it www.dublinpub.it

SUMMER EDITION 2015

Florence News & Events 31

www.florencenewsandevents.com

Race for Glory

SPORT

A short history of the Palio Twice a year, on July 2 and August ried on its tradition throughout 16, Siena’s bowl-shaped Piazza del the centuries (not simply brought Campo is covered with a thick lay- back for the twentieth century er of dirt, and the Palio takes over. out of nostalgia or for tourism) Understanding the Palio, however, thanks to the tenacity, pride, and is impossible without knowing its traditionalism of the Sienese. The history. Palio was only ever cancelled The tradition began in the four- once (during World War II) – apart teenth century, when the districts from this incident the horses have of Siena known as the contrade raced each year since 1656. organized public races in compe- Since the first official Palio in 1656, tition with one another. just one race was initially held The first riders rode buffalos in each year on July 2, named Il Palio races called pali alla lunga, which di Provenzano, in honor of the Maweren’t confined to the Piazza del donna of Provenzano. The second, Campo but rather ran across the on August 16, began in 1701 and city. When bullfighting was out- was named Il Palio dell’Assunta, in lawed in 1590, horse races took honor of the Assumption of Mary. their place in the piazza. Coinciding with the Feast of the Il Palio is one of only a few medi- Assumption, it is assumed that eval festivals in Italy that has car- this second palio was probably in-

LA TORRE OSTERIA ET BOTTEGA Located in Scarperia, a small town about a 30-minute drive from Florence, Osteria La Torre offers a menu comprised of the best culinary traditions of the Mugello area, revised in a modern way to maintain their simplicity and authenticity. Among the special dishes are the Tortelli Mugellani served with several kinds of ragù sauces and Florentine steaks. Mon. & Wed.: 10 a.m. - 3p.m. Thu. - Sun.: 10 a.m. - 12 a.m. Closed on Tuesdays

Facebook: La Torre Osteria et Bottega Sp 551 loc. la Torre 15 Scarperia-San Piero (FI) 055 84 02 240 latorresrl12@gmail.com

troduced spontaneously as part of the celebration of feast. Of the original 59, there are 17 contrade still in existence today; of these, only 10 are chosen to race in each year’s Palio. The seven contrade that do not take part in the previous year are automatically included, and three more are chosen by draw. The morning of the competition begins with a special Mass to bless the riders and horses, followed by a colorful parade of the members of the contrade and their retinue that ends in the Piazza del Campo. Each contrada’s participant enters the square around 3:30 p.m., but the main processional does not start until nearly 5 p.m., when a pageant of flag-throwers bearing

the colors and symbols of their districts perform in the piazza. Although a very festive event, the honor at stake is no laughing matter. Districts are known to take extra measures to prevent rival contrade from winning: especially since historically enemies celebrate as joyfully as if they themselves had won it. Cheating is commonplace since the race has very few rules: jockeys can pull, push and hit both the horses and each other, and use their whips on other competitors and their horses. Il Palio is won not by the jockey, but by the horse who represents his contrada, so a horse can win without its rider if it’s the first to cross the line. The loser of the race

is considered to be the contrada whose horse came second, not last. After a rapid and intense three laps around the Campo the race is over, and the celebrations or lamentations begin. The winning contrada is awarded the prestigious prize of a banner, called the palio or drappellone, which is thought to bring great luck to the district that wins it, and is newly designed each year by a local artist for the July Palio, or an internationally recognized artist for the August Palio. Entrance is free; arrive before midday. Bleacher and balcony seats from €250 to €600 www.comune.siena.it

Il Supermercato... da Gustare e deGustare

Sapori & Dintorni is the new way to do the shopping: in the heart of Florence there is a place where Food, Culture and Territory meet. Get in and discover the Supermarket to test and taste! Inside you will find many typical products of the Italian food tradition. Buy your favorite product and taste it within the tasting area.

FIND YOUR LOCAL SUPERMARKET IN THE CITY CENTER

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Via dei Lamberti Via Porta Rossa

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Piazza Santa Felicita

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Piazza degli Angiolieri

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Piazza della Signoria

Piazza di Santa Cicilia

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Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

Battistero di San Giovanni Piazza De’ Donati

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Basilica di San Lorenzo

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THE SUPERMARKETS ARE OPEN: • Monday - Saturday: from 08.30 am to 9.00 pm • Sunday: from 09.30 am to 9.00 pm