Street at the center of Florence, Italy
Via de' Tornabuoni, or Via Tornabuoni, is a street at the center of Florence, Italy, that goes from Antinori square to Ponte Santa Trinita, across Santa Trinita square, distinguished by the presence of fashion boutiques.
The street houses high fashion boutiques, belonging to designer brands such as Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Enrico Coveri, Roberto Cavalli, Emilio Pucci and others; also boutiques of jewelry are here such as Damiani, Bulgari and Buccellati.
History.
The road was once crossed by the city's Roman walls; in the early Middle Ages, it ran along the Mugnone River. Near the current Palazzo Strozzi was the Brancazio Gate. With the 12th century enlargement of the walls, the stream was diverted and the road widened. At the time, it had different names, including "Via Larga dei Legnaiuoli" and "Via dei Belli Sporti".
After the creation of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in the 16th century, via de' Tornabuoni was the seat of the processions from Palazzo Pitti to via Maggio and Ponte Santa Trinita, as well as "pallone col bracciale" matches, "calcio storico fiorentino" games and horse races. In 1565 it received a porphyry column which still characterizes it.
Via de' Tornabuoni once housed the Casoni Cafè, where, in 1920, the Negroni cocktail was invented by Camillo Negroni.
Buildings.
Historical buildings on Via Tornabuoni include:
East side starting from Arno:
West side starting from Arno:
In "Piazza degli Antinori" ("Antinori square"), adjacent to the northern terminus of Via Tornabuoni, are the following buildings: