Everyone knows the genius of Leonardo da Vinci well or badly, a great painter but who at the same time was botanical, architect and naive. His interests ranged from the study of the science of music to painting. It is possible to see the drawings and sketches that the Leonardo has created his life in the suit, in many documents scattered all over the world in different private collections, and museums. But not many know that among the most unthinkable projects such as the rampant bronze horse, Ludovico Sforza not happy with the Leonard project decided to do it bigger and more majestic. Leonard realized him in clay for the wedding of Bianca Maria and the emperor of Austria in November 1493, from there the model was destroyed by the Carlo VIII’s soldiers who occupied Milan. The project was only a rear one designed was created by the city of Milan. Just as for Milan Leonard had an original real idea that of raising the baptistery of San Giovanni, and so it is told to us by Vasari.
Vasari writes in 1550 about Leonardo: «And among these models and drawings there was one, with which several times ingenious citizens who then governed Fiorenza, showed wanting to raise the temple of San Giovanni di Fiorenza, and submit the stairs there without rearing it; And with so strong reasons it persuaded him, who seemed possible, although each, then that he had started, knew for himself the impossibility of a cotant company “. In reality, Leonardo’s project already had precedents: a few years earlier, in 1455, the Bolognese engineer and architect Aristotile Fioravanti (c. 1415-1486) with rollers, beams and Martinetti, had successfully moved a tower in Bologna . The latter had among other things worked for Leonardo’s friends or clients, such as the Bentivoglio, King Mattia Corvino of Hungary and Cosimo de ’Medici (between 1458 and 1467 in Florence). Leonardo’s project provided to raise the baptistery on four steps, as can be seen in a design attributed to Francesco Granacci (which is preserved in the cabinet drawings and prints of the Uffizi) and in two reconstructions of the baptistery (“ancient temple of Mars, today of San Giovanni “) published in the speeches of Vincenzo Borghini (Florence, Giunti, 1584). The model was reconstructed in 2007 and is visible at the Bigallo Museum in the “Leonardo in Florence” section.
If you want discover other original story about Florence come with us, we are running our tour, totally free walking tour, a Florence free walking tour from Santa Maria Novella square. Meeting point is in front of Minerva Hotel were you will meet our guide that will help you to show the beauties of Florence.
