Tour of “The Jews, the Medici and the Ghetto of Florence”
Reconstruction of the Florentine Jewish ghetto in 3D by Medici Archive Project (MAP).
Jewish Florence Walking Tour and visit of the special exhibition
Combine the special event “The Jews, the Medici and the Ghetto of Florence” to my classic Jewish Florence Walking Tour and learn about the Jews and the Medici family. See also the Great Synagogue of Florence, Michelangelo’s David at Accademia Gallery and the city walk focused on the Jewish roots of Florence. This exhibition, entitled “The Jews, the Medici and the Ghetto of Florence”, will be displayed at Palazzo Pitti until January the 28th, 2024. The theme of my Master’s dissertation in 2020 (Covid had the positive side effect of giving me plenty of free time, being my profession as a tour guide forcibly stopped) was the Jewish Ghetto of Florence at the time of Cosimo I de’Medici. My supervisors were Dr. Lele Mancuso of MAP (Medici Archive Project) and Prof. Isabella Gagliardi of UNIFI (University of Florence).
I’m consequently truly excited about the exhibition “The Jews, the Medici, and the Ghetto of Florence”—on view from 23 October 2023 until 20 January 2024 at the 2nd floor of Palazzo Pitti.
The exhibition “The Jews, the Medici, and the Ghetto of Florence”
The exposition offers a comprehensive exploration of the relation between the Medici family and Jewish history. Studying the intricate evolution of the Florentine Ghetto, the show traces the site’s history from its establishment under Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici in 1570 to its eventual demolition in 1888. We will see illuminated manuscripts, paintings, many archival documents, tapestries, paintings, photographs, maps, and sculptures. The exhibition is divided into five sections:
View of the main square of the Jewish ghetto of Florence, by Fabio Borbottoni (1820-1902).
-the early Medici and the start of the Jewish community in 1437 under the benevolence of Cosimo the Elder;
-the institution of the ghetto in 1570 and the census of the Jews in Tuscan;
-the precise maps of the ghetto and the virtual reconstruction of it;
-the Jewish painter Jona Ostiglio and his works displayed for the first time ever;
-the travel diaries of Moisé Vita Cassuto;
-the demolition of the ghetto in 1888;
Combine this special event to my classic Jewish Florence Walking Tour and see the Great Synagogue of Florence, Michelangelo’s David at Accademia Gallery and the city walk focused on the Jewish roots of Florence.
