They are masters of a technique called scagliola-the art of using powdered selenite to inlay a design into marble tables and panels. Behind the showroom window, sister and brother Elisabetta and Alessandro Bianchi are bent over one of their latest works. On the south side of the River Arno, Via Maggio-the street where Florence’s nobles built their residences for its proximity to the Medici palace-is home to a showroom of one of the city’s most talented artisan families. And now, a select few are opening their workshops for tours and lessons available to guests of Four Seasons Hotel Firenze. From Via Maggio to Ponte Vecchio, they are the cultural heart of the city. More than five centuries later, some 6,000 modern-day Florentine artisans are the spiritual heirs of those craftsmen. He stands in the tranquil inner courtyard, where the morning Tuscan sun illuminates 15th-century stone-carved allegorical reliefs and 16th-century Mannerist frescos-works by artisans, such as Giovanni Stradano, who were in the exclusive service of royalty and the elite. That most recent transformation, recounts General Manager Patrizio Cipollini, took seven years-and 42 craftsmen.“They worked furiously day and night to restore the interior to its former glory,” says Cipollini. It began its storied life in the 15th century as the Palazzo della Gherardesca before becoming, in turn, a papal residence, a convent and, in 2008, a luxury hotel. ![]() ![]() It’s a fitting place to start, as the Hotel speaks to a history of unsurpassed craftsmanship. ![]() ‹ › Your journey to discover the ancient heart of Florentine artisanship begins over a perfectly pressed cup of espresso at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze. Presidential ViewsThe large windows and spacious terrace of the conventino’s Presidential Suite offer captivating views of the 500-year-old Giardino della Gherardesca.
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