Ferdinando I
Piazza della SS Annunziata: the Utopia of Florence
Florence Italy
2016

https://www.visitflorence.com/it/monumenti-di-firenze/piazza-ss-annunziata.html

The most beautiful square
with refined, harmonious and symmetrical lines
This square was designed to be admired for its elegance, its harmonious colors and its calm character. Having said that, it is evident that it is the approach to the square that makes the difference.

The best way to enter is to take via dei Servi with the Duomo behind you. For 500 meters, you will pass small shops, supermarkets and restaurants, an American-style oven (Sugar & Spice) and the Robiglio café, symbol of the city since 1928 (in via dei Servi 112/r), one of the oldest bars in Florence, precisely, where they have a delicious showcase of delicious pastries and make a super foamy cappuccino for breakfast (but also for lunch or dinner!).

If you stop in front of the bar, you will be able to glimpse the imposing statue of Ferdinando I and the white portico of the church of SS Annunziata; if you continue for a few more meters, you will find yourself inside an open and airy space : it is one of the very few places in Florence purposely built in the Renaissance style, which means that it embraces the conception of "utopian society", i.e. made on a human scale and accessible to all.

Who were the architects?
The first structural draft was begun with the construction of the basilica (in 1298), from which the square took its name, and the design that came out of it was purely functional. But, as soon as the city walls began to expand and the basilica grew in importance thanks to the miraculous painting preserved inside, the need arose to make the square reflect the prestige acquired by the church in city life.

The magical and peaceful design we all see today was designed by Brunelleschi in 1419. Before starting work on what has become his most important work, the dome of the Duomo, he was busy designing the Spedal degli Innocenti located at the interior of the square (to the right of the entrance), the first of its kind in Europe. It is right here, in this square , that Brunelleschi introduced for the first time the use of proportions and the concept of harmony which would later become the distinctive features of Renaissance architecture.

Another famous architect who started a new constructive trend was Bartolomeo Ammannati , who began the construction of Palazzo Grifoni (to the immediate left of the entrance coming from the Cathedral) in 1563, combining for the first time the use of color with that of the characteristic "stone". The works on the palace were completed by Bernardo Buontalenti , including the gardens and the internal courtyard. Palazzo delle Due Fontane (immediately on the right), a rather recent construction, was restructured with a view to being considered a twin to Palazzo Grifoni, so as to maintain the symmetrical harmony of the square.

In addition to the church, whose info and history you can learn more about in our dedicated article , there is the romantic loggia (or portico) next to Palazzo Grifoni: the Loggia dei Servi di Maria . Built between 1516 and 1525 on a project conceived by Baccio d'Agnolo and Antonio da Sangallo the Elder , it represents the symmetrical and harmonious completion of the square with its arches and columns.

Open-air masterpieces
Although Brunelleschi had thought of leaving the circles between the columns on the Loggia dell'Ospedale empty, Andrea della Robbia was chosen in 1490 - several years after Brunelleschi's death - to decorate the six fronts and the four side concaves. The ten "rounds" or medallions are characterized by the typical light blue background with white cherubs dressed in the typical clothes of newborns, representing children and abandoned orphans.

You cannot fail to notice the imposing and mammoth statue of Ferdinando I de' Medici on horseback, a bronze sculpture created by Giambologna , who at the time had already acquired international fame for his equestrian statues. The life-size one of Ferdinand I was forged in 1602, using the bronze from the cannons of Turkish convicts captured during the war, and was placed in the middle of the square in 1608.

The two fountains were designed and created by Pietro Taccà , a faithful student and successor of Giambologna and, of particular interest, are the figures in the fountain; some believe these creatures inspired the
visuals in Creature from the Black Lagoon .

The fountains were actually planned for the Port of Livorno but Ferdinando II, nephew of Ferdinando I, insisted that they be left in this square in Florence. At the port of Livorno, there is a copy of the fountain near the statue of the "Quattro Mori".

The Secrets of the Square
Just a couple of things to notice while exploring the square:

Palazzo Grifoni & the open window
The last window on the right side of Palazzo Grifoni on the top floor is always open. Why ? According to legend, a newly wed couple from the 1500s lived there, tragically separated due to the war . The bride waited for her husband's return right at that window, but he never came home; she continued to wait for him, never giving up hope of seeing him return, until the day she died. After her death, the family took her body out and closed the window, which caused a huge uproar, which is why the window was reopened: since that day, it has never been closed again, in case the groom ever decides to return home.

Statue of Ferdinand
In the opinion of some, it seems that Ferdinand's gaze is fixed and directed in the same direction as the open window, in search of his secret lover ... but the time period does not add up at all. However, if you look at the statue, you notice a swarm of bees (91, to be precise!) surrounding a queen bee, Ferdinand's clear reference to his leadership and his industrious followers (the inhabitants of Florence and Tuscany ).

The window closed
As you walk along via dei Servi, I advise you to stop at the corner with via dè Pucci, where you will notice a window with a cornice, but which has been sealed. The would-be assassins of Grand Duke Cosimo I planned their attack right from this window. After having hanged those who had attempted on his life, sent by Pandolfo Pucci, the Duke ordered that the window be sealed, both to prevent other criminals from attempting to do the same thing, and as a warning.