LIGHT MODE
DARK MODE
Deirdre Pirro, author of Italian Sketches: The Faces of Modern Italy, Famous Expats in Italy and Royals in Florence, published by The Florentine Press, is an international lawyer who lives and works in Florence. Her writing focuses on modern Italy, its people, history and customs. Follow her on Twitter @dp_in_florence or contact her at ddpirro@gmail.com.
With the reopening of Villa La Quiete, we recount the story of the woman who, before the Electress Palatine, founded a conservatory there.
Queen of Naples, Spain and the West Indies, and sister-in-law to Napoleon Bonaparte, she perished in Florence in 1845.
A little-known oratory in Florence is dedicated to the figure who inspired Santa Claus. Here is its history.
Completed in 1909, these neomedieval barracks are named after an important figure of the first Italo-Ethiopian war.
At the age of 52, Giuseppe Garibaldi would make a hasty romantic decision that he would regret for the next 20 years.
The northern Italian cyclist won the Tour de France in 1924 and 1925.
The writerly couple lived in Florence in the 1860s on the run from creditors.
A closer look at five centuries of the fortress' history and the next five years of developments.
A look at the fascinating life of the historical figure.
Art Deco architecture and details make this landmark worth a visit.
The task of these 12 men was to collect funds, seek out the needy and distribute the alms.
Francesco de' Medici's wife once had her own private chamber in the Palazzo Vecchio.
The massive scale of Luca’s palace would make it the largest private home in the world at that time.
On May 26, 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte declared himself as the King of Italy in Milan Cathedral, crowning himself with the Iron Crown of Lombardy.
Mary McCarthy’s 'The Stones of Florence' (1959) still has much to offer.
A brief history on the iconic Italian fashion designer Renato Balestra and his impact on the world of fashion.
