Set in remote and crumbling New England mansion, twelve-year-old orphan Florence is neglected by her guardian uncle and banned from any formal education as her absent uncle has strong opinions on the dangers of a clever woman. It owes much of its inspiration to Henry James’s ‘The Turn of the Screw’ and is a tribute to that classic story of misguided and obsessive madness. If you need a nutshell history of Florence, pin it for later.Florence & Giles is an intriguing Gothic tale, well thought-out and deftly plotted. You may enjoy these other Florence travel guides and resources:

I hope you’ve enjoyed my nutshell history of Florence. Today, Florence is one of the great artistic capitals in Europe. The sheer quality and quantity of the art is overwhelming. The vast majority of art created in Florence over the centuries is intact. The works have been restored as much as possible and measures taken to prevent further damage from flooding. In 1966, Florence suffered a great disaster when catastrophic flooding of the Arno damaged precious works of art. Since WWII, Florence and other Tuscan towns have been transformed, with a revitalized wine, fashion, and tourism industry.

It’s said the Hitler himself ordered Ponte Vecchio to be saved. Modern Eraįlorence escaped mostly intact during WWII. The frescoes were later destroyed after the expulsion of the Medici in 1494. Sandro Botticelli was commissioned to paint a fresco of the hanged conspirators on a wall of the Loggia dei Lanzi in the Piazza della Signoria. Incensed, Pope Sixtus VI, who aided and abetted the plot, promptly excommunicated Lorenzo.Īfter Giuliano’s assassination. They were hung from the second floor ramparts of the Palazzo Vecchio. In just a few hours, the Pazzi conspirators (including the pope’s nephew) were captured and killed in a violent manner. Lorenzo was wounded, but managed to escape by hiding in the Medici Chapel. The Pazzi plotted to kill both Lorenzo and his brother Giuliano during high mass at the Duomo.

In 1478, the Pazzi family tried, but failed, to oust the Medici in Florence’s most infamous coup attempt. While Lorenzo had the support of the Florentine public, other families were jealous of the Medici’s power. Interior of Florence Cathedral Pazzi Conspiracy

Florence & Giles by John Harding