The city of Florence surely is filled with many historical aspects and monuments. Walking through this city feels like taking a journey back in time but there are some secrets about Firenze that sometimes not even Florentians are aware of!
Ready to feel like a local? Let’s start with a simple question: have you ever heard of “Burelle”? If the answer is no, fear not! We’re here to explain everything there is to know about them now!
What are “Burelle”?
The most ancient prisons of the city of Florence, where criminals were tortured and condemned, were called “Burella”. This word originates from Latin, meaning “darkness”, the word is, in fact, similar to the Italian “buio” (darkness). The reason behind this name is that these prisons were pitch black, no light was allowed to come from its walls and their hallways were humid and cold.
It was so terrifying that Dante mentions the Burella in the XXXIV Canto of the Divina Commedia: “natural burella/ch’avea mal suolo e di lume disagio” (“There where we were, but dungeon natural, With floor uneven and unease of light”).
What were Burelle used for throughout the centuries?
Burelle are surely packed with a lot of history. Having been around since Roman times, they were used for many different purposes from time to time.
Let’s explore some of the things they were used for throughout the centuries:
- in Roman times they were used as training gyms for gladiators to practice. They would learn, thanks to the poor conditions that they would train in, to fight regardless of the circumstance. They were also used as cages for wild animals used for shows in amphitheaters;
- In the Middle Age, Burelle were used as prisons for not only criminals but every kind of person that created problems for the main institution of the city of Florence. They held captive over 740 Ghibellines, captured in 1289 during the battle of Campaldino;
Visiting the Burelle
Visiting the underground part of Florence is an experience to try at least once in a lifetime. Since it’s quite hard to get the most out of it if you’re not prepared enough with their history and the Internet does not hold a lot of information about it, we strongly suggest you book a private tour to visit the Burelle. This way you will be capable of fully experiencing the history and events that happened in those places.
If you want to get to know more about Italy and the city of Florence, check out our blogs and book a Florence tour with us!
