That’s right, Florence also holds this record …. obviously I am kidding but not entirely. We take a step back and precisely in the years 1764-1766, when the HMS Dolphin (Delfino) of the Royal Navy commanded by Captain John Byron managed to circumnavigate the terrestrial globe, a company that is not really easy for those times. The deeds of the English captain Byron impressed the Grand Duke of Tuscany Pietro Leopoldo, especially those who told the events of the people of Patagonia, inhabited by gigantic beings. The first Europeans to meet this population of giants were the Portuguese of Ferdinando Magellano and the description of this meeting was written by an Italian …. Antonio Pigafetta one of the few survivors returned home from the long journey. This is the report of the meeting with the giants of Patagonia from the book published in 1524 “” … starting from here we reach up to 49 degrees to the Antarctic.
Since the winter the ships hinder in a bon port for winter. Dui months without seeing any person. A day to the sudden we see a man, de giant stature, who was naked in the shore of the port, dancing, singing and throwing himself dust over his head. The general captain sent one of our a He, so that “he did the same act as a sign of peace, and, made, led him to an islet before the general captain. When it was in his and our attendance, very much if he wonderful and signs with a raised finger, believing he came from heaven. This was so great that we drew them to the belt and well arranged: he had his face big and painted around De Rosso and around the eyes of yellow, with two hearts painted in the middle of the Galte. The few hair he had were tinted de bianco: he was dressed in the skin of animal so thinly together; and which animal has and ears as an ears like a mule, the neck and the body like a camello, the deer legs and the horse tail; And nitris like him: there are very many in this land. Albarghe of the same leather had to stand up, who cover the feet for use of shoes, and in the hand one arched Curto and Grosso, the rope somewhat larger than that of the liúto, made of the budelle of the same animal, with a deck de arrow De Canne not very long long, surrender like ours. For Ferro, Ponte de Pietra de Fuoco Bianca and Negra, in the manner of Frezze Turchesche, making them with another stone … ” by Captain Byron or 2.43 m.
Only subsequently or when the travels became easier for the various scholars to control the real measure of the patagons …. the result? The descended measure of the English captain was false, the people of Patagonia It was up roughly two meters. But the testimony of this wrong calculation can be found in the statue preserved in the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnology of Florence in via del Proconsolo. What can we say in Florence we do not miss anything …
if you like this story and you want discover more story about Florence, you can participate at our free tour, we are running a free waking tour of Florence, where with our tour guide you have the possibility to explore the town and visit very unique corner where normal tourist are not going…. our tour start from Santa Maria Novella square, meeting point in front of Minerva hotel.
