One Florence’s oldest and most beloved markets is at the centre of yet another (unofficial) proposal aimed at renewing the historical neighborhood.
San Lorenzo market has been besieged by urban blight for years. The majority of merchants are foreign-born and the market no longer sells the high-quality traditional, artisan products of yesteryear. An identity lost, may locals argue.
Just as The Florentine went to press, news broke of the proposal by vice-mayor Dario Nardella over the possibly of transferring some of the market’s merchants and stands, precisely those that are located in Piazza San Lorenzo, to the ethnic market on Lungarno Pecori Giraldi. The move would give better visibility to San Lorenzo Church and help to clear the piazza of market traffic, officials argue. Conversely, the merchants of San Lorenzo are strongly opposed, saying it would hurt business.
Although nothing is official yet, in the eventuality that Palazzo Vecchio announces a definitive plan to revive the age-old market, officials from local administration are intent on bringing change to the historical market: ‘It’s not a mystery that this administration wants to clean up and re-organize the city’s tourist markets,’ Nardella told the local press. In response, San Lorenzo merchants are mobilizing in opposition.
An in-depth report on the debate will be featured in the next issue of TF. What do you think about ‘cleaning up’ San Lorenzo market and the ensuing protest by merchants? What changes would better represent Florence’s historic and contemporary ‘identity’? Let us know your views on the subject for our upcoming report.
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