Experience Tuscany » Florence

The Debt of England with Florence

ClairPhillys — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:15:30 +0000

England has a huge, almost incalculable monetary debt with Florence. Or so it would be if everything had not been evened out for religious magnanimity.
How did it all start? It must be said that Florence used to be the most powerful city in the world. Florence managed a huge wealth and exerted a great political pressure all over Europe. By 1252 the city was already minting its famous Florins, a 24 carat gold coin with the flower of Florence on one side and Saint John on the other. The coin was recognized and exchanged all over the world, as its value stayed stable over time. It may seem a small thing, but minting pure gold coins that were exchanged all over was a sign of great opulence and power. Few states have been able to do so throughout history, and no other state had been able of such an act since the fall of the Byzantine empire centuries before. This coin started being the base against which all currency exchanges were made. Many created false Florins, but the forgery was easily discovered by biting the coin. Only the soft pure gold allowed the tooth to leave a mark. The Florentine saying “Saint John does not allow deceptions” is due to the attempted forgeries.
It occurred naturally that Florence became the strongest bank of the world. The capable Florentine merchants became bankers. Huge amounts of money were lent around the world, borrowed by other powers to proceed with their national necessities. Exactly the way it happens today.
When the Hundred Years War started in 1337 the king Eduard III asked an astronomical amount to the bankers Bardi and Peruzzi to finance his army. The bank had already been the official lender of the king, but never before such an amount had been requested. The bankers could not refuse the loan when the king solemnly swore to return the money. This used to be a sufficient and widely recognized guarantee. However, the war became a bottomless pit that did not foretell any good news for the bankers. Through the years England requested an amount of 1,365,000 Florins. The huge amount brought panic in Florence, the bank associates withdrew their money bringing the institution to bankruptcy. If the amount does not impress you, think about this: the current value of the debt, calculating all accrued interests, could be evened out only by the value of the entire United Kingdom!
The bankruptcy also constituted a huge blow to the entire Florentine economy, which since then started a steady decline that brought it to lose its supremacy forever.
But, British people, fear not! Your country will not be sold to the best offerer to finally give Florence its long due bag of Florins! In 1391 Gualtieri de’ Bardi, the heir of the Bardi and Peruzzi bank, acquitted all debts that Eduard III and England had with Florence. The letter from Gualtieri is still present in the London archives. Why did he do this? Back then it was believed that the soul of debtor and all their affiliates would burn in hell for eternity. Altogether with Eduard a long list of family members, Cardinals, and nobles of England would have burned in hell. Gualtieri de’ Bardi could not bare this thought, so the debt was canceled.

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Vinum Nostrum in Florence

ClairPhillys — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:14:47 +0000

The history of wine is on display in Florence with Vinum Nostrum from July 19th, 2010 (tomorrow) until May 15th, 2011 at the Palazzo degli Argenti. The full title of the exhibit is Vinum Nostrum: Wine Art, Science and Myths among Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations.
Conviviality and drunkenness, door to spirituality and frowned-upon habit. The development of wine and wine costumes is taken into consideration from Mesopotamia to our days, passing through the positive and negative behaviors that this ancient beverage produces on human costumes and spirit. With the aid of videos and multimedia installations, original pieces, sculptures, mosaics and frescoes tell the story that grapevine and of wine have had through the millennia. Thanks to the exhibit the important influence of wine on ancient peoples is underlined.
The trail of the exhibit follows a chronological order, showing the origins of wine-production in the Middle East, stepping to ancient Greece to recount its full affirmation and strong symbolic, religious and cultural significance. The final step is the Roman world, which produced and consumed wine on a large-scale.
Thanks to the many archaeological remains from Vesuvian cities, it will be possible to view the reconstruction of the vineyards of Pompeii. In another section of the exhibit is illustrated the great contribution that the Phoenicians and Etruscans gave to the cultivation of wine grapes. They spread it throughout the Mediterranean basin.
On one side the exhibit shows the evolution of cultivation techniques, on the other there are special exhibits to illustrate the values associated with grapevine in religion and culture. A large series of crafts and depictions from remote epochs speak of divinities, festivities and rituals associated with wine. The cult of Bacchus is illustrated with rare sculptures and illustrated vases. To illustrate the importance of wine in everyday Roman life, sumptuous table services from patrician families are on display.
An antique cellar, reconstructed with modern means, helps the visitor understand ancient reality around wine. The cellar is based on finds discovered in Pompeii and on descriptions found in Latin literature writings. Cultivation tools, harvesting equipment, wooden barrels, wine amphorae, baskets, carts and all of the necessary paraphernalia.

Opening times
Daily: 8.15am – 4.30pm (November February), 8.15am – 5.30pm (March), 8.15am – 6.30pm (April, May, September and October), 8.15am – 5.30pm after (Daylight Saving Time is over), 8.15am – 6.50pm (June August). Closed on first and last Mondays of each month, New Year’s Day, May 1st and Christmas Day.

Tickets
Full: € 7,00, Reduced: € 3,50

Booking
Firenze Musei, Phone: +39 055 294883 (Booking fee: € 3,00)

More inof
Oficial website: http://www.unannoadarte.it/inglese/mostra3_presentazione.html
Phone: +39 0552388709, Email: argenti@polomuseale.firenze.it
Where: Piazza de’ Pitti,1, 50125 Florence (FI)

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Hannibal Lecter and The Medici

ClairPhillys — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:09:09 +0000

Although not as startling and mesmerizing as “The Silence of The Lambs”, the movie “Hannibal” was a quite wide success, breaking movie records at the box office when it was released in 2001. So you might well be one of those who saw it, and I am pretty sure that some scenes of that movie did stick to your memory. If you are trying to forget them, I apologize in advance, because I am about to bring one of them back to you. It is not out of pure sensationalism, but to talk about Florence and its sometimes very dark history. And if you have not watched the movie you are warned: movie spoiler ahead!
In the movie “Hannibal” it happens that the protagonist decides to get rid of the Italian police inspector in a very spectacular way. With a quite summary trial, he accuses the inspector of having betrayed him and decides to hang him from one of the windows of the Palazzo Vecchio in Piazza della Signoria in Florence, while the square is full of people. The scene is even more colorful, but let us just leave it at that.

What does this say about the past of Florence? For sad as it may be, the movie references to a fact that really happened. It was the outcome of the infamous “Pazzi conjure”.
The conjure took place during the Medici dominion over Florence. As every powerful group holding great power, the Medici had a large number of enemies, some so full of hatred to have sworn their death, some even close to them and disguised as friends.
It was the Pazzi family who devised the conjure aimed at killing Lorenzo il Magnifico and his younger brother Giuliano, to overthrow their dominion and gain the power. They were among those faking friendship to the Medici, but also had the help of the pope Sisto IV and the young Raffaele Riario, the pope’s niece, declared enemies of the Medici. Riario was sent from Rome to Florence to organize the conjure with Francesco de’ Pazzi, the head of the group, and Bernardo Bandini, among others.
Other homicide attempts had failed due to unexpected circumstances, but the attempt on April 26th, 1478 hit the mark. But not quite. The two brothers were to be killed during the Mass at the Florence Duomo. They were late, and the conjurers became antsy that something might compromise their plans again. Francesco de’ Pazzi and Bernardo Bandini left the Duomo to go and fetch Lorenzo and Giuliano at home. When they saw them they hugged them to avoid any suspicion and also to make sure they were not armed or wore any protection. The brothers were as plain as white doves, except for a sword that Lorenzo had on his side, but it was a common thing and was not considered a danger.
The four men arrived at the church and sat down. Lorenzo and Giuliano were flanked by the conjurers. When the time of consecration came (Catholics knee down and hide their faces with their hands during this liturgic moment that lasts few minutes) the conjurers did not knee down, Bernardo Bandini stroke the chest of Giuliano with a knife, who fell wounded on the floor, and Francesco de’ Pazzi jumped over him finishing him with his knife. Other conjurers tried to kill Lorenzo, but only wounded him at the throat. Lorenzo pushed them away with his sword, then got shelter in the sacristy. He learned of his brother’s death only later. The Medici reprisal started immediately.
Meanwhile the Pazzi were riding their horses all over Florence trying to create a popular uprising. But the Florentines, who loved the Medici and the young Giuliano, captured Francesco de’ Pazzi and hung him from one of the windows of Palazzo Vecchio, along with other six conjurers. They all died not even an hour after the fact. Bernardo Bandini escaped to Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey), but the Medici influence arrived even there. One year later he was hanging from the Capitano Palace in Florence.

Oh by the way….The name of the police inspector in the movie Hannibal was…Rinaldo Pazzi…

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Exhibits in Tuscany: Summer 2010

ClairPhillys — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:50:40 +0000

Summer just begun, but many important art exhibitions in Tuscany already opened their doors some time ago. Large cities and small towns host unique, must-see exhibitions from ancient Egypt to contemporary art. Museums all over Tuscany land their spaces for these art events.
Florence and Siena are at the top of the list with their multi-site events including many art locations on their historic centers. The Renaissance and contemporary art are the main themes of these exhibits, with an eye to contemporary art.

Florence
The Florentine group of exhibits is called A Year in Art: Florence 2010. Six exhibitions display art from the Renaissance to Baroque periods. Works of Caravaggio and Medici portraits are just some of the pieces on show.
From May 22 to October 17 Caravaggio is at the Galleria Palatina in Palazzo Pitti and the Uffizi, with themes from the Medici, the Quattrocento and Humanism.
The Medici return in the exhibit Paris is Well Worth a Mass! dedicated to Henry IV of France, assassinated in 1610. The king was the husband of Maria of Medici. He was commemorated in the San Lorenzo Church with painting about facts of his life. The exhibition is held from July 15 to November 2 at the Museum of the Medici Chapels.
Vinum Nostrum is the exhibit dedicated to the art, science and myth around wine in ancient Mediterranean civilizations. It is held from July 20 to May 15, 2011 at the Museo degli Argenti.
Virtues of Love, marriage in Fifteenth century Florentine painting is at the Accademia Gallery from June 8 to November 1 and it introduces the visitor to the universe of Fifteenth century private bridal rooms densely decorated with artistic designs.
The three large Sixteenth-century bronzes by Giovanfrancesco Rustici are on show at the The Great Bronzes from the Rustici baptistery and Leonardo from 10 September to 10 January 2011.
De Chirico, Max Ernst, Magritte, Balthus. A look into the invisible is at Palazzo Strozzi until July 18, while from September 24 to January 23, 2011 the Palazzo will host Bronzino artist and poet. Also at the Strozzina is also featured As soon as possible. Time and social acceleration from May 14 to July 18.

Siena
From Jacopo della Quercia to Donatello is in Siena until July 11 at Santa Maria della Scala in Siena. It is an ideal art trip from Simone Martini to the influence of Donatello and the Renaissance.
Macchiaoli in Montepulciano gives the chance to enjoy works never seen before. Until September 25 seventy works from the most innovative artistic movements of the last century.

Pisa
Along the Nile is in Pisa at the Blue Palace until July 25. A journey in the era of the Egyptians and the archaeological expeditions that made great this civilization in our days.

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The Black Columns of The Florence Baptistery

ClairPhillys — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:02:50 +0000

The Florence Baptistery in front of the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, the Duomo, is among the most beautiful of the world. The golden doors named Porta del Paradiso, or Paradise Door, are the masterpiece of Lorenzo Ghiberti and his son. Everything is balanced and harmonious.
What are those two uneven black columns doing besides the main entrance of the Baptistery then? If you have seen the building in person or in a picture, this question might have struck your curiosity.
This is how the story goes. You must consider that in the past Florence and Pisa were in constant war with one another for commercial and political supremacy reasons. It was a dirty war, full of hatred and cruel deeds that many times had shown the worst of both sides.
Nonetheless, when superior common interests came into play, it was not strange to see the two cities joint allies against the cause. It seems that times has not changed things that much…
It happened that at the beginning of the 12th century the Saracen pirates disrupted the commercial lines that run along the Tuscan coast and on the Arno river, causing great problems to both Pisa and Florence. Pisa had a very strong fleet at the mouth of River Arno by the sea, while Florence had none. Therefore it was Pisa among the two the best suited to fight the pirates. However, sending out to sea its army would have constituted a great risk of being attacked by Florence and even Lucca, that during those times was an even greater enemy.
Pisa sent to Florence ambassadors requesting that during the war against the Saracens Florence would not attack the city. Moreover, they requested that the Florentine army moved to Pisa to defend it from Lucca. Florence accepted, and its army stood guarding the city walls, with the mandatory order not to trespass the city doors to avoid any solitary reprisal action against citizens.
The war of Pisa went as hoped. The Saracen fleet was destroyed, and their headquarters in Majorca were also loathed and burnt to the floor. The loathing produced a huge amount of wealth, among which were two stone columns. Magical powers were attributed to these two columns. Through the reflection of the people passing by the columns one could determine who among those was a thief, traitor, killers and so on. This was the gift that the Pisans gave to Florence, thankful for landing their loyal and respectful army.
The columns arrived in Florence wrapped in red fabric, which created suspicion among the Florentines. When they removed the fabric they realized that the columns were blackened by smoke. It was just fair that since they were part of the burnt building, that was the cause of the blackening. However, the Florentines preferred to think that the Pisans had burnt them on purpose to remove all magic powers that could reveal to the Florentines their villain nature.
The columns were placed on the facade of the popular Baptistery as an admonition of the Pisan dishonesty to future generations!

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The Nose of Michlangelo’s David

ClairPhillys — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:48:40 +0000

The story of Michelangelo’s David’s nose is quite curious and amusing.
The David of Michelangelo is among the most famous Italian sculptures of all times. It may even be the most famous in the world, but that would be bragging a bit, so let us leave it at Italy.
Both the statue and Michelangelo have contributed to each other’s fame. The statue, which in recent years has toured the United States, is an impressive 4 meters (14 feet 2″) sculpture carved out of a single block of marble. Actually, even the story of that piece of marble is interesting. It was a block of a roman temple that had been sitting around for almost 2000 years. Many had tried creating something out of it, but its age and past had made it fragile. Michelangelo decided to challenge himself, and made of it his foremost masterpiece.
The David was commissioned to him by the administrators of Florence at his times. Florence in 1504 was a republic guided by the gonfalonier of justice. The statue had to represent the power of Florence to the eyes of the world, and especially to the Medici, whom had been kicked out by the people of Florence that wanted a republic. The hands of the statue are also out of proportions with the rest. They are significantly larger, as they are the symbol of the powers of Florence, a David that defeated a Goliath.
The Gonfalonier of Justice, whose name was Pier Soderini, went to see the masterpiece in Michelangelo’s workshop right after its completion, and he was followed by his delegation. The Gonfalonier was a protector of the arts, and he therefore considered himself an authority on the subject.
It has to be noted that Michelangelo was already immensely famous and recognized, and was also very jealous and of his work. When he considered something finished it meant that he had reached perfection. Any change was unthinkable.
Imagine how he must have felt when the highest authority suggested that the nose was a little disproportionate and that it needed some touches. However, it was impossible for him to disobey the orders of such an authority. On the other hand he would have never modified his work.
He came up with a solution that says much of his ingenuity. Right before climbing the ladder to reach the nose, he grabbed his hammer and chisel at the foot of the statue. In doing so he also gathered some marble dust from earlier work that he disguised in his fist.
Under the eyes of Pier Soderini he started hammering the chisel, and in doing so he let go a little bit of dust at each blow. He never hit the David of course, and after he had descended the ladder Pier Soderini was very satisfied of the “new look” of David, claiming that it was now “Perfect!”.

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Summer Pop Concerts in Tuscany

ClairPhillys — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:03:48 +0000

Unfortunately Italy is not often hit by big international names of music that prefer not to include the sunny country in their worldwide tours. Which is odd as there usually is a huge affluence of people and everything is sold out. Perhaps other countries buy more records…who knows.
But it sometimes happens that big names of the world of music include one or two dates in Italy. In summer time it is more probable that they would come to Tuscany, when music festivals take place and large outdoor arenas make for a wonderful scenic event.
It is the case of Leonard Cohen, Deep Purple, Cartano Veloso, Mike Patton, and Belle and Sebastian. They will all be playing in Tuscany during the summer of 2010.

Leonard Cohen will be in Florence to delight listeners with his single Italian date on September 1st at 7 pm. Therefore this is a must attend event to see the great artist that is now almost at his 76th year, and still delivering wondeful performances. Even more so because Mr. Cohen will play in the wonderful cornice of Piazza Santa Croce. As usual, this will be a quite “intimate” event as only five thousand seats will be available and the cost of each ticket is quite high. ranging from 35 to 90 euros. Tickets are on sale here.

From Canada to the UK with another legend of music, Deep Purple. Hard rock from England. This is one of the two Italian dates, and will be on July 23rd in Arezzo at the Play Art Festival. The band still retains most of its original elements, the singer Ian Gillian, the drummer, and the bassist that after a short while with other groups returned to join the guys. It is a must-attend event also because this one too is inserted in a wonderful scenic context like the Arezzo Fortress. Tickets are sold at 35 euros and can be purchased online here.

Mike Patton has always been fascinated with Italian music, so much that few years back he sang some songs in Italian. Now he has created a whole album called “Mondo Cane” where he sings only in Italian. Moreover, all songs are covers from old Italian pop hits from the Fifties and Sixties. He tours with a full bodied orchestra to create that wonderful atmosphere that lived with the Italian pop songs of that time.
The concert will be in Florence at the fantastic Fortezza Da Basso on July 26th. Tickets are a bit pricey ranging from 35 to 55 Euros, available here.

Brazil and the unique music of Caetano Veloso will play in Tuscany in Sesto Fiorentino, near Florence, at the park of Villa Solaria, immersed in a green and peaceful setting with secular trees. The concert will be on June 29th and tickets can be found here from 27 to 38 Euros.

Indipendent Pop to conclude this collection of must-not-miss concerts in Tuscany. The band Belle and Sebastian at the PlayArt Festival in Arezzo on June 24. The location is the same as for Deep Purple. Tickets sell at 23 Euros here.

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Of Guelphs, Ghibellines and Broken Hearts

ClairPhillys — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 22:32:36 +0000

It may seem absurd, but the war between Guelphs and Ghibellines begun because of…a broken heart!
First of all, who are Guelphs and Ghibellines? They were two factions, or parties to say it in modern political terms, that polarized power in Tuscany, parts of Italy and spread the consequences of their deeds and decisions up to Germany. Florence has always been the headquarter of Guelphs, although it did have Ghibelline followers. The great poet and writer Dante Alighieri was one of them, and he paid his beliefs with exile. Siena was the Ghibelline headquarter. Guelphs pledged their loyalty to Otto IV of Germany, while Ghibellines to Frederick II Emperor of Germany and over the Tuscan territory of the time. But why?
The story goes like this. Buondelmonte dei Buondelmonti was a very rich, handsome, and young lord of Florence. He lived by Ponte Vecchio and used to come to town on his horse, never failing each time to stir the heart of the young women of Florence, many of whom were secretly in love with him. He was considered one of the best catches in town, and two girls particularly loved him, the not-so-wealthy and not-so-beautiful Reparata Amidei, and the very beautiful and wealthy Beatrice Donati.
The Buondelmonti and Amidei families kept a quite hatred between them, for reasons we do not know. At one lunch celebrating a common friend, Buondelmonte and Oddo Arrighi, a friend of Amidei, started to brawl and Buondelmonte fending his sward hurt Oddo Arrighi’s arm.
This of course further enhanced the hatred among the two, so that the rival families decided that Buondelmonte had to marry Reparata Amidei to wash away his deed. Buondelmonte accepted not to worsen the tension.
During that time weddings were arranged in three stages. There was the engagement, then the impalmamento, then the marriage. Normally, if one of the parties broke the engagement, a refund fee by law to the other party had to be paid. The fee increased manifolds if the breakage happened after the impalmamento. However, among noble families, although the law prohibited this, there was no acceptable monetary refund, and the only way to solve the issue was to kill the retreating party, usually the man.
So it happened that after the impalmamento of Reparata Amidei, Buondelmonte saw and immediately fell in love with Beatrice Donati. So much that he broke the engagement, paid the fees by law and married Beatrice. The Amidei family and their friends decreed a death sentence for Buondelmonte, who had dishonored them twice. They killed him on Easter day 1216, while he was walking to Mass with his wife on Ponte Vecchio, among hundreds of spectators.
The brutality of the act against the happily in love couple created scandal among the people who mourned Buondelmonte and asked the Podestà, the head of Florence, to make justice condemning the publicly known assassins by law. Faced with such a pressing request the Podestà had to comply. The assassins therefore felt that their deeds may have sent them to the gallows. They therefore invoked the “Imperial Rights” that did not recognize as valid the laws of the municipality of Florence as they had never been approved by the emperor Frederick II of Germany, the Weiblinen, or Ghibelline. On the other side the people of Florence and the municipality had to take parts with Otto IV of Germany, the Welfen, or Guelph, and rival of Frederick.
The Guelph party ruled over Florence for 50 years, therefore we can hypothesize that the conjurers against Buondelmonte were condemned by law. But most importantly, this event started a political division and a series of important events that polarized the superpowers of the time spawning large parts of Italy and the German Empire.

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Why is Florence Called Florence?

ClairPhillys — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 04:47:19 +0000

Florence, Firenze in Italy, originates from a Latin name, Florentia. A name that has always reminded of flowers, and meadows covered with flowers. Hypothesizing therefore that the land it was built on had been one particularly rich of flowers, especially irises, everyone has always considered this explanation straightforward, so much that the symbol of Florence has aways been an iris since the very inception of the city. The symbol even got coined on the strong currency of pure gold that the city produced, called Fiorino, or little flower. However, this is not why Florence is called as such.
Who funded the city? The Etruscans of Fiesole (now this is an Etruscan name!), a well developed center on the hills above Florence which still today exists, 150 years before Christ decided that they needed a closer access to a waterway. The river Arno was flowing just few kilometers down the bare valley, on a flat land that run for kilometers in the four directions. What better place? Therefore the first nucleus of Florentia started and was developed, but soon encountered the fury of Rome, that tired of having to deal with the unruly Etruscans that would not subject to the imperial power, decided to destroy the city, kill everyone, and plow the land it used to be so that only cultivated fields would be in its place. To make this a sure deed, the land got sold in plots to Roman officials and high charges of the empire.
However, the new owners of the land did not like the country life and soon entered an agreement with the Etruscans of Fiesole to rebuild the city just a few hundred meters down the river, on its right bank. The former rebel Roman emperor Catilina, escaped to Fiesole, and many of the former centurions that had razed the city few years before, became the new citizens of Florentia, which preserved the name. Rome got word of what was going on, and sent other legions to raze the city again. After a strenuous defense and a large bloodshed of more that 3000 killed, the Romans wanted to raze the city, but the valor of the defense graced the city and kept it standing.
The origins of Florence, Italy help to understand why the name of Florence has a Latin root instead of an Etruscan one, and why it does not imply flowers. The Etruscans that lived in the area had always been in close touch with the Romans pilgrims and merchants that passed by the area. Therefore they must have picked up their definition of this land as a florents, meaning a lush, fertile, flourishing land. Therefore the word Florentia comes from the Latin word for flourishing. And its history has indeed been one of a flourishing people and culture!

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Florence Treasure Hunt

ClairPhillys — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 17:36:23 +0000

Since 2009 there is a fun game that unites treasure hunting, technology, history, art and curious facts. It is called Firenze 2054.
What is it all about? A map, a cell phone and a notebook full of stories to decipher. This is everything participants need to discover the mysteries of Florence living a true urban adventure among buildings, squares, monuments and hidden places. Tourists/gamers can be on their own or participating to a urban treasure hunt against other gamers. It happened in 2009 for the first time, and again in January of 2010.
The organizers of the game are the inventors of the game Whai Whai, which in Maori means “to search”. Florence is among the cities the game is played in. It is a fun interactive model which uses cross-media tools like cellphones. It is a fun and challenging way to discover factual news on cities like Florence, and helps both tourists and locals alike to acquire knowledge that would have otherwise hard to find and easy to forget.
The soul of the game is a smart travel notebook, the guide, which is cut into three sections. The notebook is acquired by participants to the game and on the first page it contains the cellphone number to interact with to get clues for the riddles to solve in conjunction with the instructions on the guide.
It will be possible to solve each stage of the treasure hunt only by physically visiting the places in Florence, and understanding where to go is not a trivial task. The clues on the spot to find are also not trivial. Mostly, the game hands down anecdotal knowledge on the urban spots it utilizes. Gamers can therefore learn that behind a certain name, structure, conformation of the city is hidden a story that unfolds only for them and few other people. As it happens with the title of the game. Why Firenze 2054? What will happen then? Well, the title has more to do with what has happened, precisely in 1954. Thousand of witnesses in Florence remember that during a Sunday afternoon the sky started glittering with very fast moving unidentified objects that kept flying above the football stadium for quite a while before disappearing. Where UFO interested in discovering who was going to win that football match, or they just could not find a parking spot to stroll for a gelato in Piazza della Signoria? We’ll never know…hopefully!
This is a game I would definitely love to participate to. I will keep my eyes open for the next appointment and will post about it as soon as I get word of it. By the way, winners do get juicy priced like bottles of wine and books on Florence.

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