Niccolosa, 1492: The Widow

Niccolosa Alessandri, an aristocratic widow, experienced more than her share of sorrow when her sons were executed over the Pazzi plot to murder Lorenzo de’ Medici. Now, with Lorenzo dead and the radical friar Girolamo Savonarola preaching the end of days, she revisits the past and asks if Florence can find a path to a more Christian future.

Niccolosa takes you to the ancient sacred sites that define the city centre, and then out to her neighbourhood, where her sister is abbess of Florence’s most prestigious convent. Along the way, she tells you about sainted bishops and fiery preachers, but also what a wealthy Renaissance widow can do on behalf of her community.

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This walk connects with the new Hidden Florence 3D app that shows you how the church of San Pier Maggiore (the last stop on this walk) originally appeared. Read more about this here. Download it now!