On the ground floor of the Uffizi Gallery, a truly
interesting and surprising exhibition has been set up, sure to attract also
many enthusiasts of the macabre and the unusual.
Wax
upon a time. The Medici and the arts of ceroplastics, is an exhibition
entirely dedicated to this ancient yet...
Quant’è bella giovinezza,
che si fugge tuttavia!
chi vuol esser lieto, sia:
di doman non c’è certezza.
"How
beautiful is youth, / though quickly it does flee! / be happy if you want to: /
for tomorrow may not come"
This is what Lorenzo
il Magnifico wrote in the opening...
A golden shield with five red balls and
a blue one decorated with three golden lilies. You must have seen it everywhere
in Florence, since it is the Medici coat of arms.
The Medici blazon underwent inexplicable changes during
most of the fifteenth century, particularly in regards to the number...
Today special guided visits are taking place in Via Il
Prato 48 to see the Brindellone, the
ceremonial chart used for thetraditional Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart) on Easter morning in Piazza del Duomo.
It’s a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, associated with Pazzino
de’...
One of the symbols of Christmas in Italy is the poinsettia (in italian called Stella
di Natale, meaning “Christmas Star”) a plant that is actually native to
Mexico. There, it was called Cuetlaxochitl
("leather-petaled flower") since the 16th century, and the Aztecs
used it to decorate their temples, produce red...
We’re in 1327 Florence,
dominated by the Catholic Inquisition, and Florentines are about to witness
the execution of Cecco d'Ascoli, who
during his lifetime was a poet, physician, teacher, philosopher, astronomer and
astrologer. Unfortunately, it was precisely this last occupation that sealed
his fate and earned him a death sentence....
The Allegory of the Immaculate Conception by
Giorgio Vasari is a late Renaissance masterpiece housed in the ancient
Church of Santi Apostoli. A small replica is also on display at the Uffizi. The painting, dating back to around 1541, was
commissioned by Bindo Aldoviti, a banker and patron, for his...
Woe betide anyone who speaks ill of Florence to a Florentine,
you could trigger a very heated discussion. Florentines have always been known
for their patriotic spirit, proud of their city and their origins. We can't
blame them after all, considering that in the past Florence has really played a...
We don’t talk enough about illuminated
manuscripts, books of incredible beauty that monks would take years decorating.
The history of miniatures in Italy has its roots in the Early Middle Ages
(6th-11th centuries). This art form developed primarily in monasteries, true
hotbeds of culture and craftsmanship, where monastic scriptoria, rooms...
Autumn is the time for chestnuts, and in Tuscan cuisine there are many dishes based on this highly nutritious ingredient, once an important source
of sustenance for the poorest populations and especially for those who lived in
the countryside.Among the traditional
Tuscan recipes that use chestnuts, the most reknown is...
