There is a tabernacle at the end of the street where the Florence Central Markets are…the Tabernacle of Fonticine…named for the little fountain at the bottom.
Tabernacles are niches with sculptures, often with frescoes or columns and a small roof. They are found on street corners, or on the side of a square, or even in tiny, narrow streets. They are usually covered by glass. Florentines felt the need to put up holy images to protect their houses and their families. There are about 1,200 in Florence.
I can’t show you the rest of the tabernacle as it was covered in scaffolding, but it think the fountain is lovely. It is attributed to Girolamo della Robbia and constructed somewhere around 1522, which explains why it could do with a bit of Jif and a scrubbing brush.
It is good to see it still in use after all these years.
I hope to see the whole tabarnacle on a future trip to Florence. I am inspired to track down the rest, perhaps not all 1,200, but quite a few.
Such wonderful historical gems to be found in Florence, Debra. Great pics, but I wanted to get my toothbrush out and clean those teeth. 😀
By: anotherday2paradise on June 13, 2014
at 3:15 pm
Me too.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 13, 2014
at 3:17 pm
Great post!
Thanks
By: Maxine on June 13, 2014
at 3:32 pm
Last year, two young men gave their dog a bath in the “tabernacolo”… It looks as if it was not the first time that something like this happened http://m.firenzetoday.it/cronaca/via-nazionale-fontana-storica-robbia-cane.html
By: mulino dominillo on June 13, 2014
at 4:33 pm
What a wonderful post, we’ll definitely be looking out for that in Florence in the summer. Italy is so rich in history, for all of us to enjoy.
By: chris oconnor on June 13, 2014
at 5:42 pm
It would be fun to try to track down all of the tabernacles in Florence…it might take a while.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 14, 2014
at 8:53 pm
Isn’t that interesting, Deb! I always thought a tabernacle was a place of worship – probably because the only time I’ve heard the word is in the context of “tabernacle choir”. Thanks for the enlightenment! 🙂
By: Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial on June 13, 2014
at 8:12 pm
I had not heard of the word used in this context either. These are really an outdoor place of worship.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 14, 2014
at 8:54 pm
Thank you so much for featuring this tabernacle. Tabernacles and torre are on my list of things to track down in Florence next year. My map is getting full of colour coded dots!
By: ytaba36 on June 14, 2014
at 2:13 am
The tabernacles alone would keep you busy for ages.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 14, 2014
at 8:54 pm
I’m tempted to get an old toothbrush and soda or whatever, and scrub away!!
By: timelessitaly on June 14, 2014
at 5:33 am
It could certainly do with a scrub.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 14, 2014
at 8:55 pm
Thank you very much for this interesting post. It there “aqua potabile” – good for drinking like in many places in Italy?
By: Renata on June 14, 2014
at 8:40 pm
There are lots of fountains in Italy where you can get excellent drinking water. I don’t know why people buy so much bottled water here.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 14, 2014
at 8:56 pm
I gues people just don’t know that there is indeed very good drinking water in many places in Italy. Maybe such places should be marked better. I remember drinking an excellent water at Piazza di Signioria in Florence. There they have 2 kinds of water to choose from. I was also drinking very good water in many places in Rome.
Maybe you can write a post about finding drinkible water in Italy. I would make a very good subject for a blog post.
By: Renata on June 15, 2014
at 8:54 pm
Italians should know, they have been used for centuries. I suppose it seems more convenient to buy water at the supermarket, but it such a waste of money and resources. I think it is a good idea to point out water fountains, perhaps on my next trip.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 17, 2014
at 3:08 am
The real Florence…timeless… and you’ve captured it beautifully. Looking forward to the next tabernacle in the series.
By: janinevasta on June 15, 2014
at 11:38 am
I had not really thought about tabernacles until I tried to find out more about the fountain, the only part showing under the scaffolding. Now I want to find more.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 17, 2014
at 3:04 am
Definitely could use a good scrubbing to remove the regurgitation look.
By: aFrankAngle on June 15, 2014
at 9:56 pm
It may never come clean, it is very old.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 17, 2014
at 3:09 am
… and that’s what old does.
By: aFrankAngle on June 17, 2014
at 10:32 am
Hmm I don’t really remember seeing these whilst in Florence, must walked straight past and not noted it!
By: House in Tillford on June 16, 2014
at 8:37 am
I have never noticed it before either and I have been in the street many times.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 17, 2014
at 3:10 am
How interesting and the cleaner in me wants to have a go at them and scrub them clean! 😛
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on June 16, 2014
at 11:56 am
Me too.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 17, 2014
at 3:10 am
Gorgeous, even if they are indeed indeed need of a scrubbing 🙂
By: Madhu on June 22, 2014
at 11:05 am
A scrubbing brush could be put to good use here.
By: Debra Kolkka on June 22, 2014
at 9:27 pm
[…] This is what it used to look like. Seven heads are better than one […]
By: A short stay in Florence | Bagni di Lucca and Beyond on September 7, 2020
at 7:08 pm