On July 12, 1859, it was a heated evening in Palazzo Vecchio, both in terms of the weather and the nature of the gathering that Baron Bettino Ricasoli had called. Carlo Fenzi, Piero Puccioni, and Leopoldo Cempini, the three protagonists, were members of the Council who had earlier suggested a newspaper for the city of Florence to the head of the temporary administration in Tuscany. The same Ricasoli said loudly that the time was right for the establishment of a political journal, saying, “Lor gentlemen asked me to found a political newspaper: I refused.” I agree to do today, but only on the condition that the newspaper be emphasized early tomorrow morning.
At around one in the morning, the future first political newspaper of Italy, known as La Nazione, was written and quickly printed at Gaspero Barbèra’s typography in via Faenza, n.56. Unlike traditional newspapers, it initially appeared in a “tabloid” format due to the urgency of the event. On July 19, 1859, the first issue of La Nazione was released in the classic newspaper format. The initial headquarters were located at via del Cocomero (now Via Ricasoli) n.8, opposite Palazzo del Barone Ricasoli.
