THE OLTRARNO
DISTRICT
| Santo Stefano bridge,
in Oltrarno gave access to Borgo di Piazza, the present-day
Via Guicciardini, going towards Via Romana and towards
Borgo San Jacopo, and Borgo Pitiglioso (Via de" Bardi)
to the east. In the south you could find the Bogule hill
(Boboli) and then the Costa up to where the Rubaconte
bridge was built (now called Ponte alle Grazie). Another
bridge, called the New Bridge (Ponte alia Carraia) had
been built a few years earlier at the location of the
present-day Via de' Serragli. |
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| In the
middle of the 13 century, Aldobrandino, an Augustinian
monk from the Monastery of San Matteo in Arcetri, bought
a piece of land with a vineyard and a well in the area
of Caselline, sparsely inhabited at the time. He intended
building a Monastery and a Church dedicated to the Virgin,
the Holy Spirit and All Saints. Work on the building started
in 1252. The houses in front of the building were purchased
and demolished to make space for Piazza Santo Spirito.
We think the Church was in the same place and had the
same orientation we can see today. It probably had a nave
and two aisles and a portico on the facade. At this time
the town was experiencing great economic growth due to
the expansion of trades and the minting of the first gold
coin: the Florin. Craftsmen, labourers but also wealthy
families started to move to the area of Caselline, and
the Oltrarno gradually became more and more important.
In the same period the Augustinian Monastery and Church
were being erected, the Santa Trinita bridge and the largest
road in the city, Via Maggio (which comes from "Maggiore")
were built This consequently stimulated the development
of the neighbouring area which became wealthy and popular.
The name of Canto alia Cuculia brings to mind the original
name given to this place. This explains why Bicci di Lorenzo
painted a cuckoo held by the Child on the Virgin's lap
in the shrine on the corner between Via de' Serragli and
Via Santa Monaca. Apparently "Cuculia" (the term "cuculiare"
meant to tease) hinted at the sarcasm with which foreign
craftsmen were addressed. Florentines in fact believed
that these outsiders were exploiting the rich resources
of the district, behaving like cuckoos which lay their
eggs in the nests of other birds. The wool industry was
very active in this area. In fact the name of Via delle
Caldaie brings to mind the large copper pans used to dye
woollen fabrics. Via Sant'Onofrio was named after the
Patron Saint of the "gualcherai" (the workers who pressed
woollen fabrics) and dyers. Via and Piazza delTiratoio
remind us that this square originally consisted of a building
with a covered terrace which was used to beat, stretch,
and dry the dyed fabrics. The building had been built
in compliance with a law that prohibited these activities
on the streets and on the roofs because the dripping dye
used to stain walls and public spaces. Borgo Tegolaio,
instead, takes its name from the building materials that
were produced in the area, from the clay excavated from
the Arno. Via delle Fornaci tells us that vase manufacturing
laboratories were located along this street. The square
was used by the Augustinians preaching. The Monastery
of Santo Spirito soon became an important cultural centre
in Florence up to the first decades of the 15'' century.
The seat of the "Studio Generate" of the Order was in
the Monastery, an institute devoted to the study of philosophy
and theology that welcomed students from the most important
European cities. Besides being used for preaching purposes,
the square also played host to the corn market, as well
as on the other side of the river where it was held in
the famous Orsammichele. |
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