Via de' Tornabuoni
Encyclopedia
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, that goes from Antinori square to ponte Santa Trinita
Ponte Santa Trinita
The Ponte Santa Trìnita is a Renaissance bridge in Florence, Italy, spanning the Arno. The Ponte Santa Trìnita is the oldest elliptic arch bridge in the world, the three flattened ellipses giving the structure its celebrated elegant appearance...
, across Santa Trinita square
Piazza Santa Trinità
The Piazza Santa Trinita is a triangular square in Florence, Italy, named after the church of Santa Trinita on the west side of the square. Near the middle of the square is an ancient Roman column known as the Column of Justice due to the sculpture of "Justice" on the top...
, characterized by the presence of fashion boutiques.
The street houses high fashion boutiques, belonging to stylists such as Gucci
Gucci
The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci , is an Italian fashion and leather goods label, part of the Gucci Group, which is owned by French company PPR...
, Salvatore Ferragamo
Salvatore Ferragamo
Salvatore Ferragamo was a Florentine and Italian shoe designer. He worked with many Hollywood stars in the 1920s, before returning to Italy to found the eponymous company making unique hand-made footwear. His scientific and creative approach to shoes spawned many innovations such as the wedge heel...
, Enrico Coveri
Enrico Coveri
Enrico Coveri was an Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur from Prato, Italy. A former model and stage designer he founded the homonymous fashion house in Florence and was immediately acclaimed for his creations at the first appearances on the catwalks in both Milan and Paris in 1977. He died...
, Roberto Cavalli
Roberto Cavalli
Roberto Cavalli is an Italian fashion designer from Florence.-Biography:Roberto Cavalli was born in Florence, Tuscany. His grandfather, Giuseppe Rossi, was a member of the Macchiaioli Movement, whose work is exhibited in the Uffizi Gallery. Cavalli decided to enroll at the local Art Institute,...
, Emilio Pucci
Emilio Pucci
Emilio Pucci, Marquis of Barsento , was a Florentine Italian fashion designer and politician. He and his eponymous company are synonymous with geometric prints in a kaleidoscope of colours.-Early life:...
and others.
History
The road was once crossed by the city's Roman walls; in the early Middle Ages, it ran along the Mugnone river. Near the current Palazzo StrozziPalazzo Strozzi
Palazzo Strozzi is a palace in Florence, Italy.-History:The construction of the palace begun in 1489 by Benedetto da Maiano, for Filippo Strozzi the Elder, a rival of the Medici who had returned to the city in November 1466 and desired the most magnificent palace to assert his family's continued...
was the Brancazio Gate. With the 12th century enlargement of the walls, the stream was diverted and the road widened. At the time, it had different names, including Via Larga dei Legnaiuoli and Via dei Belli Sporti.
After the creation of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany
Grand Duchy of Tuscany
The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...
in the 16th century, via de' Tornabuoni was the seat of the processions from Palazzo Pitti
Palazzo Pitti
The Palazzo Pitti , in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast mainly Renaissance palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio...
to via Maggio and Ponte Santa Trinita
Ponte Santa Trinita
The Ponte Santa Trìnita is a Renaissance bridge in Florence, Italy, spanning the Arno. The Ponte Santa Trìnita is the oldest elliptic arch bridge in the world, the three flattened ellipses giving the structure its celebrated elegant appearance...
, as well as pallone col bracciale matches, Calcio Fiorentino
Calcio Fiorentino
Calcio Fiorentino was an early form of football that originated in 16th century Italy. The Piazza Santa Croce of Florence is the cradle of this sport, that became known as giuoco del calcio fiorentino or simply calcio .The official rules of calcio were published for the first time in 1580 by...
games and horse races. In 1565 it received a porphyry
Porphyry (geology)
Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts...
column which still characterizes it.
Via de' Tornabuoni once housed the Casoni Cafè, where, in 1920, the Negroni cocktail was invented by Camillo Negroni.
Buildings
Historical buildings on Via Tornabuoni include:East side starting from Arno:
- Palazzo Spini FeroniPalazzo Spini FeroniPalazzo Spini Ferroni is a building in piazza Santa Trinita, Florence, Italy, the grandest private medieval house-palace in the city.-History:...
, 14th century, site of Salvatore Ferragamo Museum - Palazzo Buondelmonti (in Santa Trinita squarePiazza Santa TrinitàThe Piazza Santa Trinita is a triangular square in Florence, Italy, named after the church of Santa Trinita on the west side of the square. Near the middle of the square is an ancient Roman column known as the Column of Justice due to the sculpture of "Justice" on the top...
), 15th century - Palazzo Bartolini SalimbeniPalazzo Bartolini SalimbeniThe Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni is a palace in Florence, central Italy.-History:The palace is situated where once were the residence of the Soldanieri and later Dati families, who were bought by Bartolomeo Bartolini-Salimbeni....
(in Santa Trinita square), designed by Baccio d'AgnoloBaccio D'AgnoloBaccio D'Agnolo , born Bartolomeo Baglioni, was an Italian woodcarver, sculptor and architect from Florence."Baccio"'is an abbreviation of Bartolomeo, and "d'Agnolo" refers to Angelo, his father's name...
and built in 1517-1520 in late-Renaissance style - Palazzo Medici Tornaquinci, 15th century
- Palazzo Altoviti Sangalletti, it was the host of Caffé Doney since 19th century
- Palazzo Gherardi Uguccioni or Alamanni
- Palazzo StrozziPalazzo StrozziPalazzo Strozzi is a palace in Florence, Italy.-History:The construction of the palace begun in 1489 by Benedetto da Maiano, for Filippo Strozzi the Elder, a rival of the Medici who had returned to the city in November 1466 and desired the most magnificent palace to assert his family's continued...
(1489–1534) - Palazzo Tornabuoni, a large palace built in the 16th century
West side starting from Arno:
- One of the palazzi dei Gianfigliazzi, Lungarno Corsini corner
- Torre dei GianfigliazziTorre dei GianfigliazziThe Torre dei Gianfigliazzi is a tower in Florence, central Italy. Built during the Middle Ages, it is currently home to a hotel.-History:A large tower-residence, it was built in medieval times for the Guelph family of the Ruggerini, and was totally demolished after the Guelph were expelled from...
, 13th century - Basilica di Santa TrinitaSanta TrinitaSanta Trinita is a church in central Florence, Italy. It is the mother church of the Vallumbrosan Order of monks, founded in 1092 by a Florentine nobleman...
- Palazzo Minerbetti;
- Palazzo Strozzi del Poeta (or Giaconi)
- Palazzo del Circolo dell'Unione (or Corsi and della Commenda da Castiglione), built in 1559 under design by Vasari
- Palazzo Dudley
- Palazzo Viviani della Robbia, by Giovan Battista Foggini
- Palazzetto Tornabuoni
- Palazzo Larderel, or Palazzo Giacomini, by Giovanni Dosio
In Piazza degli Antinori (Antinori Square), adjacent to the northern terminus of Via Tornabuoni, are the following buildings:
- Palazzo AntinoriPalazzo AntinoriPalazzo Antinori is a Renaissance palace in Florence, central Italy. It is located at one end of Via de' Tornabuoni-History:The palace was built in 1461-1469, perhaps under the design of Giuliano da Maiano, for Giovanni di Bono Boni...
, built between 1461 and 1469, and designed by Giuliano da MaianoGiuliano da MaianoGiuliano da Maiano was an Italian architect, intarsia-worker and sculptor, the elder brother of Benedetto da Maiano, with whom he often collaborated.- Biography :... - Chiesa dei Santi Michele e Gaetano (Church of Saints Michael and Gaetano)San Gaetano, FlorenceSan Gaetano, also known as Santi Michele e Gaetano is a Baroque church in Florence, Italy, located on the Piazza Antinori.-History:The church was built for the Theatine order, who obtained funding from the noble families in Florence, including the Medicis. Cardinal Carlo de' Medici was...
, a masterpiece of Florentine Baroque architecture (a much more detailed presentation of this church, including photographs, is available on an Italian language Wikipedia page titled Chiesa dei Santi Michele e Gaetano).