“Vordan karmir,” often called karmine, is a unique paint made from female Ararat koshenili plants found in Armenia. These insects are found only in three kinds worldwide: Polish, Mexican, and Armenian. Still, it was believed that the Ararat Koshenili paint was the greatest.
Free Tour
San Mark in Orsanmichele
San Marco Evangelista was patron of the Linaioli, and the statue was the first carved by Donatello for Orsanmichele, before San Pietro, in more or less participatory collaboration with Filippo Brunelleschi, and the famous San Giorgio.
A theater in via dei Tintori
In 1839, under the ownership of the Catranzaro family, a private theater was installed by the Academy of Ingegnosi, which later became “of the Conventions”, where comedies were represented, often written by Giovan Battista Fagiuoli.
Prison in Palazzo Vecchio with a great view
The “Alberghetto” in the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, is a small prison cell located within the historic town hall of the city. Its name, “Alberghetto,” translates to “little inn,” which is an ironic reference, as it was used to detain prisoners, including some prominent historical figures.
The Clash of Honor in 16th Century Florence
The sens of honor in the renaissance time, in a Florence full of art but in the same time very wild, a story typical of Florence in the renaissance time.
A second life of an assassin in Florence
n the late 16th century, Vincenzo di Zanobi Serzelli, a seemingly devout citizen of Florence, led a double life as a notorious criminal. While presenting himself as a pious member of the San Niccolò confraternity, Serzelli, along with his friends Matteo di Bartolomeo Santini and an unnamed accomplice, descended into a world of theft and deception.
Porta San Nicccolo
Porta San Niccolò remains a key historical landmark, blending Florence’s medieval architecture with its artistic and cultural heritage. A visit to this well-preserved gate offers a unique insight into the city’s past and its role as a strategic and cultural hub of the Renaissance.
Scale del Monte alle Croci in Florence
The penance of the mystery of the Via Crucis very frequented in the period of Lent, ended up at the entrance of the church of S. Salvatore al Monte defined by Michelangelo “the beautiful Villanella” because of that simplicity and elegance of the structure.
A Masterpiece of Medieval Allegory
At the Accademia Gallery in Florence, a remarkable diptych by the renowned 14th-century artist Bernardo Daddi captures both religious devotion and a haunting reminder of mortality.
The Fascinating Origins of the Tuscan Cigar
In 1815, a summer rain ruined a game of Kentucky tobacco left to rest in the former convent of Santa Caterina in Florence. To avoid the ire of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinand III, the director of the Tabacchi manufacturers decided to recover the refermented leaves, transforming them into small and two -way cigars to be sold at low cost.