Science seen through “Galileo’s telescope”

A unique special event which honors one of the men who changed history: “Galileo’s Telescope” is on view at Institute and Museum of the History of Science of Florence from 4th March to 31st December 2008.

The exhibition’s aim is to emphasize the evolution of scientific researches made by Galileo, and his genial intuitions which lead him to the construction of the first telescope (inspired by simple objects made up of two tubes endowed with lenses which at the time were sold on the streets of Venice), which were followed by important astronomic discoveries, which still today cover our astronomy books pages.

The exhibition, made up of five sections, is dedicated to the researches and experimentations which helped the Tuscan scientist to become one of the most important personages in the world scientific environment, and it gives all visitors the chance to watch closely really important objects, as the objective lens and the only two Galileo’s telescopes existing in the world. (more…)

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Art 2008: international crafts in Florence

ART 2008, the market exhibition of international Crafts, comes back to Florence at Fortezza da Basso from 25th April to 4th May.
It is now a habitual appointment between the city of Florence and Art, the most famous craft fair in the world, which every year gathers the best craft creations exhibited along an itinerary characterized by inspiration and originality.
Art, to which this year about 800 among Italian and foreign exhibitors take part, represents a real match point between demand and offer, between the craft businesses and the most affectionate consumers, who, absorbed in a scenary of innovation and steady evolution, will have the chance to choose between several craft products, from typical food, to special gifts and jewels.
The market exhibition of international Crafts (more…)

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A Musical May in Florence

The “71° Maggio Musicale Fiorentino - Donne Contro” (”71st edition of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino - Women against “) will start on 26th April, and it’s Florence music festival which until 1st July will give us as a gift a season rich of art and music.

The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is one of the most ancient concerts in Europe and its fame and prestige is due to its cultural choices which characterize every edition of this musical event.

This music festival presents a long and interesting calendar with theatre performances and dance shows in collaboration with some of the greatest masters of international opera, and also set designers, painters and sculptors who created the wonderful scenographies of the plays.

The Teatro Comunale (Town Theatre) host this magnificent Florence event which can host up to 2003 spectators, and every year it’s dedicated to an elaboration of a historic and cultural period, most of all of music, as for example the editions dedicated to Esxpressionism or Romanticism.

The name “Music Festival of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino” is due to its origins. In fact the festival, founded in 1933, descends from the ancient spring celebrations which were made in Florence and Tuscany, called “Calendimaggio”.

The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino will start (more…)

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Easter time: the “Brindellone” tradition in Florence

The Burst of the Cart is an ancient celebration which dates back to the first crusade, and which Florence inhabitants love.

This manifestation takes place every year in Piazza Duomo (Dome Square), where there is the “Brindellone”, that is the wonderful three-floor cart which is the celebration’s protagonist.

At this point, a rocket formed as a dove, Easter peace’s symbol, comes down hanging on a thread which goes from the main choir of the Dome to the cart, and if the celebration is successfull, it burns and emits a wonderful play of lights, colours, smoke and outbreaks.

The story of the Burst of the Cart is rich of religious and historic details, a beautiful story, rich of turns of events, and it’s a really important chapter in Florence and its inhabitants history.

The tradition tells that, in the end of the first crusade, which ended with (more…)

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Florence… One Hundred Years of History in a Photo!

“D’improvviso Firenze” (”Suddenly Florence”) is the name of an interesting photo exhibition which highlights the historic centre of the city, and it will take place in Florence in Bardini’s Villa until 15th March.

The exhibition is based on the comparison between the photos of Florence immortalized by a young contemporaneous photographer, Gianni Ferrero Merlino, and the historic images kept intact by the Photographic Cabinet.

A photographic itinerary which starts from Uffizi up to Santa Maria Novella, a sort of photograph album of the historic centre of the city, where the history of Florence comes back to life and which will help the spectators to be aware of the changes of the city.

Florence is seen through two different perspectives, the one of the past and the one of the future, photographic clicks which express on their own an entire century of history. (more…)

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WELCOME TO PITTI IMMAGINE UOMO!!!

Today the 73th edition of Pitti Immagine Uomo starts, with the aim of presenting the collection fall / winter 2008/2009.

As usual, the event will be hosted by the areas located inside the Fortezza da Basso and the Stazione Leopolda, in Florence.

The novelty this year is represented by Pitti W_Woman Precollection, where a special selection of international brands will present the previews of approximately 40 pre-collections.

With 727 companies, 897 brands (302 of them coming from abroad) Pitti Immagine Uomo has been aknowledged and confirmed as one of the most important events in the field of Italian men’s fashion.

Pitti Immagine is able to join business and creativity and Pitti Immagine Uomo in particular, is the place where you can find all about the new trends for mens.

Another innovation this year is represented by a new project called “Axessories”: the new draft of Pitti Uomo dedicated to the world of men’s accessories.

Celebrates its 9th edition “New Beat (s)”, the space reserved to the entry of emerging designers, which will present this year, 14 brand previews coming from all around the world.

You can’t lose the 100 ROBOT outside the Fortezza da Basso: an installation created by the Architect and Designer Oliviero Baldini.

Also the exhibition dedicated to Donna Simonetta and organised by the Fondazione Pitti Discovery is something really interesting.

This first show about Simonetta will be held at the Galleria del Costume in Palazzo Pitti, Florence. (more…)

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“Tuscany Feast” 2007.

On the 30 of November Florence celebrates the abolition of death penalty.

With the “Tuscany Feast” is celebrated a day that has marked the history of this region and even of the whole country: the day of the Riforma Penale Promulgata, promulgated the 30 November of 1786 by Pietro Leopoldo of Lorena, Grand duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790.

The reform Leopoldina, with whom the grand duke established the demolition of the hanging wherever it might be, represents an act of great civilty, that makes the whole region worth honour and it’s an important step in the history of civil rights.

In occasion of the first “Tuscany Feast”, on the 30 November 2000, quite to confirm the “no” to death penalty and the refusal of entire centuries of inhuman acts, in Piazza della Signoria took place the fire of the gallows and of all the ancient torture instruments.

Moreover, the city of Florence wanted to put in the Customs court in Palazzo Vecchio, a commemorative marble plate with a reproduction of a text written soon after the promulgation of the act against death penalty. (more…)

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Italian language lessons in Second Life are coming for the Festival of Creativity

Experience a real Italian language class from your home. It is not a new e-learn software or a DVD language course, neither an Audio Couse nor a home tuition!

What is it then? Log in Second Life, come to our Italian Campus Classes and enter one of the first experiment of Italian language courses held by Scuola Leonardo. The Italian language lessons will be hosted at the “Second Life Festival” by the Official Island of Tuscany during the “Festival della Creatività” (Creativity Festival) organized from 25th to 28th October.

This is a testing organised by Sigmasei in collaboration with Scuola Leonardo da Vinci, the leading italian language school in Italy, which counts more than 30 years of experience and is officially authorized by the Italian Ministry of Education.

(more…)

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FLORENCE: SAINT LAWRENCE FESTIVITY

Like every year on 10th August, in quarter San Lorenzo in Florence, took place the celebration in honor of Saint Lawrence and the Church of which he is also a patron.

The procession, that here we show with some pictures, paraded on the streets in the city center to the Basilica of San Lorenzo (Saint Lawrence), the most antique in the city.

Loved through the centuries, by Lords and poor people, the Church was consecrated in 393 from Saint Ambrose.
The Church became famous thanks to Medici family who created there their own mausoleum ( Cappelle Medicee, in reality are the part of the monumental complex of San Lorenzo).

The festivity in the honor of the Saint, prince of martyr, has antique traditions: on 10th August, apart from costume procession (which takes place also nowadays on the day of San Lorenzo), there was also horse Palio, from Porta San Gallo to Borgo San Lorenzo and during the celebration Mass memorabilia of the Saint were exposed.

(more…)

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Discover art cities… with a pda!

There’s a new wa to discover art cities, Arianna. Although the traditional guide books are still captivating, they have to compete with the new multimedia guides on pda.

Imagine while you are visiting Florence, a local takes you around the city. Imagine that Arianna is a born and bred Florentine, pointing out monuments in the heart of the city and showing you the most interesting routes to take to get around while telling you the anecdotes, interesting facts and legends on Florence, passed on from person to person throughout the centuries.

Arianna was created by Econoetica srl in 2006: it is a small pocket pc with audio and video contents, pictures, historic gossip and thematic itineraries for everyone.

(more…)

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