Why go
This chapter helps explain details that sit beside Florence's older monuments. The Second World War damaged streets south of Ponte Vecchio while leaving the bridge standing. Then, on 4 November 1966, the Arno flood devastated books and works of art, prompting an international rescue effort and new conservation methods. Museums in villas linked to the 19th-century foreign community add another, quieter modern layer.
The full story
Florence changed rapidly after unification. Its population grew with tourism, trade, financial services and industry, and a substantial foreign community helped create the city's 19th-century image among writers and artists. Villas and art collections associated with that community survive as museums, including the Horne Museum, the Stibbert Museum and Villa La Pietra. The Second World War left a different mark. During the German retreat in 1944, the bridges across the Arno were destroyed except Ponte Vecchio, and streets immediately south of the bridge were mined. The flood of 4 November 1966 then damaged rare books and works of art across the centre. Volunteers came from around the world to help recover them; the work helped develop modern conservation practice. The event remains a useful lens for Florence's conservation institutions.