HISTORICAL SHOPS WITHIN HISTORIC-ARTISTIC ITINERARIES

Within the joint project RESTAUROnet the World Heritage Bureau - UNESCO World Heritage, in collaboration with the Directorate Economic Development, has published the volume 'Florence between Art and Artisan shops' with the final objective to promote alternative routes in the historic centre of the city, in order to facilitate the discovery of not only the rich artistic heritage but also the handicraft and mercantile activities that characterize the city and that have been passed down from generation to generation until today.
 
The volume Florence between Art and Artisan shops (edited by Carlo Francini, texts by Francesco Vossilla and Francesco Cinelli. Photos by Fabio Chiantini) proposes six routes within the historic centre and offers information on the historic-artistic heritage with particular attention to smaller works such as tabernacles, palaces, sculptures etc. that often escape the hasty and distracted visitor's eye, but are testimonies of high appreciation and value. The text is interspersed with 45 info boxes that are dedicated to the description of historical shops of high value presented in the proposed itinerary. The traditional activities form an important historic heritage of the city; it is therefore important that the citizens as well as the tourists know about their existence and value, and are, thus, stimulated to visit them, not only as places that sell products of high quality but also as sites of art and culture. The first itinerary starts in Piazza della Repubblica, continues in Via Calzaiuoli, Via Calimara, Via Orsanmichele, reaches Piazza della Signoria and ends at the Uffizi identifying 5 historic shops (Gilli, Caffè Concerto Paszkoski, Caffè Le Giubbe Rosse Restaurant, Farmacia Molteni, Rivoire); the second route starts in Piazza Santa Trinita, following Via Tornabuoni up to Piazza Antinori, proceeds in Via degli Agli, Via Vecchietti, Via Pecori, reaches Piazza San Giovanni proceeds in Piazza del Duomo, turns into Via dello Studio, Via del Corso, Via Proconsolo, Piazza San Firenze and ends in Via della Condotta recommending 10 historic shops (Procacci, Parenti, Old England Store, Casa dei Tessuti, Officine Panerai, Ristorante Buca San Giovanni, Enrico Verità, Pegna, Ceramiche Luca della Robbia, Bizzarri); the third route starts in Via dei Servi arrives in Piazza Santissima Annunziata, continues in Via Battista, Piazza San Marco, Via Ricasoli, Via de' Pucci, Via de' Gori and ends in Piazza San Lorenzo highlighting 10 historical shops (Cornici Campani, Bartolini, Cartoleria Rigacci, Farmacia SS. Annunziata, Robiglio, Libreria Oreste Gozzini, Libreria antiquaria Gonnelli, Casa del Tappezziere, Passamaneria Toscana, Trattoria Gozzi); the fourth itinerary starts in Via della Scala, reaches Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Piazza Ottaviani, continues in Via dei Fossi, Piazza Goldoni, Via della Vigna Nuova, Via Palchetti and ends in San Pancrazio underlining the existence of 8 historical shops (Officina profumo - farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, Galleria Frilli, Liverano, Farmacia Munstermann, Galleria Masini, Coltelleria Bianda, Stampe Cornici e Lampadari Baccani, Fiaschetteria da "Il Latini"); the fifth route starts in Piazza Santa Croce following Via Verdi reaching Piazza Salvemini and ends in Borgo Albizi pointing out 5 historical shops (Scuola del Cuoio, Filistrucchi Parrucche e Trucco, Farmacia Canto alle Rondini, Andreini, Marzotto Carta e Cartoni); the sixth itinerary starts on Ponte Vecchio, continues in Borgo San Jacopo, Via Maggio, Via Michelozzi and ends in Piazza Santo Spirito identifying 7 historic shops (Paolo Pagliai Argentiere, Bongini Antiquariato, Trattoria Cammillo, Vettori frutta e verdura, Guido Bartolozzi Antiquità, Bini forme per capelli, Farmacia Santo Spirito). The choice of format of the volume, 17 x 21, was imposed by the necessity to find the right compromise between the demand of description and information on one hand and the necessity to offer a convenient and handy product on the other; being additionally in paperback, it can be taken along without difficulties when visiting the city. The volume is endued with a city map that guides the reader indicating the places of interest within the text. Furthermore, it was decided to give importance and space to the photos; they were chosen according to aspects such as innovation and high quality in order to communicate strong and immediate sensations, intrigueing and motivating the reader to visit the recommended sites and works of art, focusing on the fascination besides the descriptions.