By'gone Florence; Firenze Scomparsa (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899. Excerpt: ... Via Buja (Dark Street). His name fitted it to perfection. The very high buildings, with projecting eaves which almost touched each other, were so near that seen from afar the street appeared like a long fissure and once inside only a narrow strip of sky was visible. The street had received its name by popular baptism, but was anciently called Via Bertinella or Albertinella, after the families of that name who long ago owned houses there. Today it is a part of the Via dell' Orivolo, which received its name on account of the first clock for the Palazzo Vecchio being made in a house here, where also lived the famous Lorenzo Volpaia, a celebrated savant in all mechanical art. Via Buja was widened by demolishing the houses facing the north, while on the opposite side, the buildings were modified in the style of the side of a Strozzi palace, formerly Guadagni and Riccardi. In building this palace, one of the most important constructions of Gherardo Silvani, there was absorbed a palazzetto of the Arrigucci, and houses belonging to the Bischeri, Falconieri, Rinuccini, &c. On the opposite corner of Via Proconsolo, were houses belonging 1o the Bischeri family, from which was derived the name of - Corner of the Bischeri -, besides others belonging to the Cennamelli, Buonafedi, Falconieri and Pazzi families. On the site of the present Banca Nazionale, designed by Cipolla, was the Pazzi garden, situated at the back of that family's historic palace in the Borgo degli Albizzi. A high wall separated it from the street and in the middle was a great gate, with a beautiful porch said to have been designed by Donatello which is now preserved in the National Museum at the Bargello. It is a legend of the time that from this porch the conspirators who were to assassin...