PHOTO CREDITS: Sailko, Via por santa maria 9r-11r, torre degli amidei, 04, CC BY 3.0
Located in Florence, near Piazza della Signoria, Torre degli Amidei is a tower that was apparently built in the Middle Ages. It used to belong to the Amidei Family and it was unfortunately damaged in 1944 by a retreating German Army. It was later partially reconstructed and most of what we see today on the outside comes from the reconstruction works.
Let’s find out something more about Torre degli Amidei in Florence and why you should visit it!
Tracing the origins: the story behind Torre degli Amidei in Florence
Torre degli Amidei was first constructed at the beginning of the 13th century under the commission of the Amidei family, which also had the property of other houses located on the same street. According to Giovanni Villani and Dante Alighieri, the Amidei Family punished to death Buondelmonte de’ Buondelmonti because he wouldn’t marry a woman from their family, leading to the creation of many fights that led to the wars between Guelphs and Ghibellines.
The tower used to be much higher than the one we see today. Just like many other buildings in Florence, it had to be lowered because of a new rule that was set that stated that the buildings couldn’t be taller than a certain height.
After belonging to the Amidei Family, it became the property of the Gherardini Family and then the Capponi. At the time, the tower was already quite damaged but, as mentioned before, it was after an explosion caused by the German Army in 1944 that the tower was almost fully destroyed.
Rising from the ruins: the remarkable reconstruction of Torre degli Amidei
When Torre degli Amidei was almost completely destroyed by the German Army in 1944, the Florentine government wanted to remove it completely, because it was not considered safe. After some time it was chosen that the tower could be rebuilt because of its historical importance. Torre degli Amidei was rebuilt according to photos and descriptions of the old tower and it was designed by architect Guido Morozzi.
A lot of the materials from the destroyed towers were reused to build new ones.
Visit Torre degli Amidei: Florence’s authentic historical landmark
Nowadays Torre degli Amidei in Florence is one of the most interesting places to visit if you wish to discover something more and less touristy about this majestic city. If you’re planning on visiting Florence and want to get to know something more about this city and Italy in general, make sure to check out our other blogs and book a tour with us for the best experience possible when it comes to visiting the city of Florence!
