We like telling some hidden secrets about Florence, mixed between legend and truth. Today we talk about the “Reversed Balcony” that’s located in the heart of Florence but rarely noticed by passers by or tourists. Located in Borgo Ognissanti 12, the building was built by assembling upside-down the classical elements of a regular balcony: the supporting corbels, its volutes and the capitals are all upside down. This fun story goes back to the 16th century and it seems to have been built as a request of the stables builder, due to some spites with the Duke Alessandro de Medici. The initial project of the balcony was rejected by the Duke as, for some law of the time, it was too prominent. The owner of the building presented a second project, with little changes, and even this time it was rejected. At a third attempt, the Duke, trying to be irreverent or just fed up with the continuous requests, instead of repeating a “No!” wrote on his response: Yes, on the contrary. The owner of the house, expressing a true Florentine spirit and applying the answer to the letter, ordered his architect to build the balcony upside-down (the elements of course). Perhaps the Duke Alessandro would have liked to punish the irreverent constructor, but as a Florentine I think he appreciated and approved his presence of mind. Share if you like, share the love for Florence, we love Florence!
Posted on: Fri, 23 May 2014 15:00:00 +0000
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