FictionalCities :: Florence

The lost historic centre Anyone becoming familiar with the history of Florence can't help but read about the loss of the old historic centre, comprising the Old Market and the Old Ghetto, in the late 19th century - it's one of the big events in the city's history and, along with WWII and the flood, one of the few such events in recent centuries. I've read about it often, but until recently it was just the sad fact that explained the boring modernity of the Piazza della Repubblica. Now with the finding of two books, both in Italian, I'm beginning to appreciate just what was lost, and how big an area was levelled - the four corners of the area roughly being the Duomo, the Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Strozzi and Santa Maria Maggiore.
		Com'era Firenze Cento anni fa by Piero Bargellini €12.90 The first book I found, picked up in a bookshop in Florence, is a collection of photos of old Florence, with a few photos of the lost centre to whet one's appetite for...
Firenze 1892-1895 Immagini dell'antico centro scomparso by Maria Sframeli €42.00 Which I found in the London Library and just had to own - I got it for €35.70 from Amazon.it. It's full of fine and heartbreaking photographs of what was lost, and includes a map showing where each photograph was taken. The excuse of slum-clearance was used, as ever, and there may be some truth in this. But leaving aside such unromantic considerations for a minute, let's wallow.
		Works of Art in Italy Losses and Survivals in the War Part 1- South of Bologna HMSO 1945 1s. 6d. Compiled from War Office reports and published in 1945, this is a thin paperback containing an alphabetic listing of cities and towns in Italy up as far as Bologna, with reports on damage and destruction, or the lack of it, at these sites. The reports are mostly the likes of 'suffered some damage' or 'is intact' but the longer entries, for the Pisa Camposanto and the area around the Ponte Vecchio in Florence for example, are longs and well written, concerned and containing some fragrant detail. Like the blowing up of the Ponte Vecchio having no military value as the space between the shops was so narrow no lorry could use it, let alone tank. The description of the fire, and work afterwards, in the Pisa Camposanto is full of interesting details, and sadness.

		That's an edge of Orsanmichele to the right

Two views of the old market square. The church of Santa Maria degli Ughi (above) was demolished, as was Sant'Andrea (below left).
		The Palazzo dell'Arte della Lana is in the background above and to the right below.

1945
And to finish, views of the buildings and bridges that the Nazis blew up as they retreated in 1944 on
either side of the Ponte Vecchio, before and after.

And a similar view from an old postcard, but looking away from the Ponte Vecchio.

A photo taken from the Ponte Vecchio showing the bridges the German blew up
and the temporary iron bridge built on the pillars of the Ponte della Trinità.