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There is a strange block in the San Lorenzo area near Mercato Centrale. At first glance it’s hard to tell whether it is being built or demolished and it has looked this way ever since I first came to Florence thirteen years ago; it is a huge city centre building site where nothing ever happens.
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I recently stumbled upon an article which explained the story behind this unusual building, and also revealed its very exciting background; so I started to do a little research of my own.
What we see are the remains of the 14th century convent of St Orsola. It was inhabited by the nuns until 1810 when it was closed down. Eventually the Manifattura Tabacchi acquired the building and cigarettes were produced in the old religious block until approximately 1940 when the company moved to a new beautiful fascist/rationalist building (see pictures here).
After being used by the University for a while, St Orsola’s was abandoned. Eventually plans were formed to let Italy’s tax police, Guardia di Finanza, move in. In the 1980’s work began to build an underground car park and the old convent’s foundations were excavated.
That’s when it happened.
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Old graves and tombs were found. And as late as 2007 it was established that one of the graves housed the remains of Lisa Gherardini who died in 1542. Lisa Gherardini married the silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo and when she was 24 years old Leonardo da Vinci painted her portrait.
She became “La Gioconda” – Mona Lisa in Leonardo’s immortal painting.
After her husband’s death, she spent the last years of her life in St. Orsola’s and was buried there.
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Photo Wikipedia
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Wow.
Apparently the plans for the tax police moving in were in fact cancelled. And from what I understand the city of Florence is or has been considering turning the old St Orsola’s convent into a Mona Lisa art center. Exciting plans indeed.
It will be interesting to see what happens.
Meanwhile the block still looks as deserted as ever.
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FLORENSICS 