Halloween, night of witches and ghosts: waiting for October 31, we tell you one of the most frightening stories of the cradle of the Renaissance, which features Ginevra of Almieri protagonist, remembered as “the woman who lived twice”. The story tells of Ginevra Almieri daughter of a rich Florentine merchant who decided to marry her to the son of a wealthy merchant with whom he often made commercial relations, Francesco Agolanti. Unfortunately, the young Ginevra was in love with another young Florentine merchant Antonio Rondinelli. So she was forced by the parent to get married with the aging merchant.The story tells of the young man’s indisposition to spend time with his new groom Francesco. Him taken by family affairs did not pay attention to the young girl who spent all the temple at home alone.To such an extent that desperate, and so much in love with Rondinelli, true of his love that he decided to not want to eat anything anymore and let himself be starved. Ginevra had lost a lot, the more I also contact the fact that in that period there was the plague, after a little young Ginevra skinny and pale one day was given for dead. The funeral was organized and her was dressed with a white funeral dress and was brought to the cemetery near Giotto’s bell tower to be exhibited for the last farewell by the town. During the night when everyone was closed in the house, the young Ginevra who had not died but only passed out, was revived and with the little strength walked from the tower of Giotto returned to the house of his husband Francesco Agolanti who lived at the time in the current ” via del Giglio”. Knock on the door trying to enter, the terrified husband believing that the spirit of Ginevra wife had returned to thrill him does not open the door. Ginevra exhausted and desperate to such an extent he headed to his parents’ house, where even here them terrified that was the spirit of their daughter returned to touring them chased her, and do not open the door of the house. Desperate Ginevra not knowing where to go headed towards the house of Rondinelli her true love, which seeing her on the threshold of his home opened them and made her enter to assist her. Days later when he learned of the fact that Geneva was not dead and that he was quiet and serene at the House of Rondinelli, her husband Francesco Agolanti reports everything to the ecclesiastical court.Who investigates and feels it was issued. Since the first weddings had melted with death, Ginevra could safely do what she wanted and marry anyone who wanted. So the two young in love can be married.Legend has it that in the Piazzetta del Giglio, “Giglio Square” the spirits of the two young people appear every first Tuesday of the month.
If yo want know more about this kind of story let us know, we are organizing a Florence Free Walking Tour that start from Santa Maria Novella square. In our tour with our Official Guide of Florence you will have the opportunity to discover all the secret of this town.
