Florence Breaks into the Technological World With a Massive Apple Store

by Laura Tressel

As a city, Florence is constantly under construction. Scaffolding dispersed throughout the city mark the buildings that are receiving a facelift. Usually they are old buildings which need new paint or structural fixes, but sometimes the work means something bigger. In this case, Florence is working on a project that will completely change the face of Piazza della Repubblica: the introduction of a giant Apple store.

Black walls hide the project until the big reveal. 

Apple has stores around the world, but in Italy they are sparse. When it opens in September, this location will be the second in the Tuscany region, and the sixteenth in Italy. However, the size of the store, around 5,000 square meters (53,800 square feet), will make it one of the largest in Europe. Smaller sections of the premise will be devoted to the actual store and a customer service area, while the major use will be for showcasing events, conferences, and even concerts.

There have been plans to change the piazza for a while, with many people concerned about its appearance and relevance. The Apple store is being placed in the building that previously housed BNL bank, and the customer service area will be built in the old vaults, giving it a unique atmosphere. A large amount of the money for the project (950,000 euro) comes from the bank, which owed it to the city of Florence. This money, along with a smaller amount provided by the city (600,000 euro), is being used to build the store and to renovate the pavement of the square. When the project is finished, Piazza della Repubblica will be refreshed, and the Apple store will light up the archways with it's glass walls.

With this addition, Florence hopes to attract more business and more attention to the piazza. For a city rooted in history it can be difficult to break into the technology industry, but opening this space for events and concerts, and offering support for Apple products is sure to improve Florence's modern image.

The Apple store is located on the left of the arch. 

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The Florence Newspaper: Uffizi Gallery Now Available on iPod Touch, iPad, and iPhone

The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the oldest museum in modern Europe and one of the most visited in the world, has become the first Italian museum to go on iPod, iPad, and iPhone.

The ArtFirstGuide “Uffizi” Apple application allows users to discover the Uffizi’s great masterpieces of Italian and European art via iPod, iPad, and iPhone. The platform includes a virtual tour of the museum and close-ups of thirty-three masterpieces including Botticelli's Venus, Leonardo's Annunciation, Raphael's Madonna del Cardellino, Michelangelo's Tondo Doni and Caravaggio's Medusa.

Developed by the Parallelo and ArtFirstGuide, ArtFirstGuide “Uffizi” provides expert descriptions and videos of the Uffizi’s most famous masterpieces as well as information on opening hours, ticket bookings, and upcoming events.

The application can be downloaded from the Apple and iTunes online stores.

Aplpication Details:

ArtFirstGuide “Uffizi”
Version 1.14
$1.99
93.7 MB
Available in English, Italian, Spanish
Created by Parellelo and ArtFirstGuide
Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
*Requires iPhone OS 3.1.2 or later

www.florencenewspaper.it