The new Giunti in Firenze’s Via Degli Anselmi, near Piazza Strozzi, is vying to become one of Italy’s most beautiful bookstores. After the closure of the historic Odeon cinema-theatre, the debates continued, but the former venue has been reopened, becoming a true and functional cultural and political center. “A one-of-a-kind bookstore in the world, an artistic haven,” Giunti says. The stage and the large screen have remained in place, as has the gallery with its magnificent ocra-colored seats. The Cinema Odeon in Florence was one of the few remaining open in the historic center, and after its closure in 2022, the concerns and debates remained. The historic Cinema Savoia (as it was known when it opened in 1922), which has been in the hands of the Germani family since 1936, was and still is an architectural marvel that stands in one of Florence’s historic buildings, the Palazzo dello Strozzino.
However, the art of classic cinema has not been depopulated for a long time. In fact, he unveiled the new Cinema and Bistrot Giunti Odeon Bistrot in early November, restoring the 1920s rooms to their former glory. Several shelves of books were erected in the armchair-emptied audience. To provide a backdrop for the novels illuminated by miniature headlights, there is a giant screen behind the stage where today’s and yesterday’s films are projected once a day from 9 p.m. to midnight. A ledwall has been added to the screen for programs during the day.
The proposal also features the Odeon cafe, a Northern European-style bistro with a wide oak table in the center of the floor. The new Odeon Giunti was designed by Gabriele Ametrano, former director of the literary festival, the city of readers. The Benaim Studio in Florence curated the restoration works of the Room of Palazzo della Storino, which gave life to a series of architectural elements: tapestries and decorations. Presentations, exhibitions, readings, and performances will be among the events held at Giunti Odeon.
History of this monument
The Palazzo dello Strozzino in Florence, Italy is a Renaissance palace. The stone Renaissance facade can be seen on Piazza degli Strozzi, diagonally across from the majestic Palazzo Strozzi. The entrance to the Cinema Odeon is located on the northern façade of Via dei Anselmi. The palace, known as the Palazzo delle Tre Porte because of its three ground gateways, was a residence of the Strozzi family’s cadet branch; it was older and smaller than the spectacular Palazzo Strozzi. The palace houses the Cinema Odeon, created by Marcello Piacentini in 1920, as well as the British Institute of Florence’s language school.
It was built on Palla Strozzi’s estate and transferred to his cousins Agnolo and Palla di Novello after his exile in 1434. They ordered a reconstruction in 1457, with the design attributed to Filippo Brunelleschi, while other architects collaborated in the construction, including Michelozzo, who is credited with the lower façade’s uneven rustication. Giuliano da Maiano (c. 1456) is credited with the upper floor, which includes double mullioned windows and a milder rustication. The third storey, with more polished stone, was constructed in the nineteenth century, in the style of similar Renaissance palaces. Michelozzo also planned the inside courtyard, which featured a portico with columns (about 1460). The courtyard was razed to make way for the cinema.
The palazzo was substantially demolished during Florence’s reign as Italy’s capital (1865). The entire area was transformed earlier in the nineteenth century as part of the Risanamiento. The space in front of the Palazzo Strozzi that is presently occupied by the Palazzo Mattei was originally home to the Piazza delle Cipolle and the Santa Maria degli Ughi church.
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