Kraft Hotel Florence · Itinerari PROPOSTI dAlla nostra guida
Susanna Pampaloni personalguide@krafthotel.it
Sixth Tourist Tour
Antiquario Bellini
Caffè delle Giubbe Rosse
Visitng time: about 2-3 hours
A waiter with the typical jacket "giubba rossa" in the historical
coffee bar in Florence
Close to the Arno, in the beautiful halls along Lungarno Soderini, sits
the Bellini Gallery, a "dynasty", a great and old family, passionately
attached to the artistic and past creations, a gallery universally known,
a noble and refined antique, faithful to classical style.
In this refined palace, on the walls worthy of a museum, a glorious past
is brought to life: a fresco by the School of Giotto, a bust by Donatello,
a portrait by Tintoretto, the Madonna by Della Robbia, a bronze by Giambologna,
ceramics by Xanto Avelli from Rovigo, a gothic tapestry, a closet carved
by Sansovino. The Bellini's, antiquarians since the XVIII century, are
tireless discoverers of ancient masterpieces, however not oblivious to
the beauties of contemporary art.
Continuing along via della Vigna Nuova, we arrive in Piazza della Repubblica
where we find Caff delle Giubbe Rosse, the original premises were opened
in the new public square in the place where an Old Market and an ancient
wine shop once sat. It was founded by two Germans, the Reininghaus brothers,
beer manufacturers, that had made it the point of reference for the large
German Florentine community. According to the fashion of those times,
the owners dressed the waiters with red jackets, following the Viennese
use. The Florentines, finding some difficulty in pronouncing the foreign
name of the coffee, preferred to say: "we go to those with the Giubbe
Rosse (Red Jackets)". Between smoke, sparkling wine and absinthe, the
exalted spirits of the Florentine Futurism passed their nights here, the
editors of Lacerba and the Voice, among whom Papini, Prezzolini, Slataper,
Palazzeschi, Rosai, Stuparich, Viviani, were joined by Boccioni, Russolo,
Balla, Severini, Marinetti. Today the Coffee Bar, where Vittorini, Gadda
and Montale also went, collect the memories of that time and renew its
fascination every Wednesday, still giving life to the "literary encounter".
