Armchair travellers around the world can now visit one of Florence’s historic and best-loved theatres, Teatro della Pergola.
As of November 27, the theatre’s ornate auditorium, foyer and stage can be seen on both Google Maps and the Google Cultural Institute (theflr.net/953apb).
Built between 1652 and 1656 by the Accademia degli Immobilia, a group of Florentine nobles interested in the arts, La Pergola was the first theatre in Italy to be built with boxes encircling the auditorium. Some of the most illustrious actors in Italian theatre have walked La Pergola’s boards, including Eleonora Duse and Vittorio Gassman.
Now the theatre has added another ‘first’ to its accomplishments: it is the first theatre in Italy to join the project, which currently features more than 40 museums and historic buildings, including the Palace of Versailles and the White House, represented in more than 40,000 photos.
Along with viewing La Pergola’s interiors and reading about its history, virtual visitors can take a tour of a permanent exhibition that focuses on the great classical actor Eduardo De Filippo, who famously said ‘Florence isn’t a city; it’s a home.’
