Piazza dei Ciompi

Piazza dei Ciompi, named for the "Ciompi" or wool carders of Florence (and their eponymous revolt in 1378), occupies a working class corner of Florence north of Piazza Santa Croce and close to Piazza Sant'Ambrogio.

It is a smaller, rectangular, neighborhood piazza which was finally renovated after after many years of planning by the city, complicated in part due to the existence of the mercantino which existed here for decades (see below). The Loggia del Pesce on the northern side of the piazza has been beautifully restored, new pavement has been added, and there are fresh shrubs and other plantings. The piazza is still dominated by a very large umbrella pine, which provides ample shade in the summer. On the eastern side there is motorino parking and some charging stations for electric scooters.

This neighborhood was particularly hard hit in the flood of 1966 - look for plaques well up the walls of the palazzi surrounding the square to see how high the water was.

The Loggia del Pesce

A graceful 16th century construction, the Loggia del Pesce by Giorgio Vasari, now stands at the north end of the Piazza. The loggia was formerly located in Piazza della Repubblica and was moved here when the old market was razed during the reunification period. It housed a fish (pesce) market in its original location. Next to the loggia on the northeast corner you can usually find a flower vendor as well as a book stall, and some nearby restaurants are also allowed to use the loggia for seating. To enjoy the square and a drink, sit outside at Plaz on via Pietrapiana 36r, just across from the loggia (they have tapas, burgers, etc.).

Flea Market (Mercantino)

The square was the long time home to the "mercantino" or flea market - small sheds selling antiques, art, old books, and various oddities. Since finally undergoing a renovation that was decades in the planning, the center of the square is now a green area dominated by a large umbrella pine, and the old market stalls are gone. The flea market was finally moved to Largo Annigoni (which is basically the same area as Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti). It is located just across the street of the northeast corner of Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. This market, Mercato delle Pulci, is open every day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On the fourth weekend of each month there still is a unique market (at least there was until this spring!) in Piazza dei Ciompi called "Fumetti e... dintorni". This market specializes in comics, records, CDs, clothing and other vintage objects from Italy and abroad.

Across from the piazza on the south side is a small park and children's playground, maintained by local pensioners. There is a public restroom available here when the gate is unlocked.

Here is a great video of the inauguration of the new Piazza dei Ciompi (in Italian):

And here is Piazza dei Ciompi on the map:

Last update: October 4, 2023 10:16 PM