MERCATO DELLE VETTOVAGLIE MARKET OF FOOD CENTRAL MARKET IN LIVORNO

GENERALITY Market of food, also known as Central or covered Market, stands on the Aurelio Saffi slips, along the Royal Canal in Livorno. It is one of the most interesting buildings in Livorno of the second half of the nineteenth century, where there is also the influence of Iron and glass large architecture of the nineteenth century.

HISTORY In Italy, the post-unification years were marked by a campaign for the reorganization of services that also invested Livorno. Here, after an initial conversion of heritage buildings acquired by the state, a more substantial commitment came only in the late nineteenth century, when important public works were built, among these, the most impressive and certainly proved to be challenging was the Market of food, designed by Angiolo Badaloni.

HISTORY The area chosen for the construction was located in the centre, along the Royal Canal, the area once occupied by the complex Medici system of fortifications and then by an arena for shows during the day. Works began in 1889 and ended quickly in 1894, at the time, however, there were criticisms related to the large size and the cost (about 4 million Lire) of the work.

HISTORY It should be noted that, according to the accounts of the painter Leghorn Filippelli, around 1909, the famous Amedeo Modigliani returning from Paris, rented a large room on the upper floors of the building of the provisions of the Market, corner of Via Gherardo of the head, and wears the stones began to making sculpture, producing a few heads. On his return to France, it is said that these works have been thrown into the Royal Canal, ditch, in 1984, was the scene of the famous discovery of some fake heads, made by some young Leghorn.

DESCRIPTION The main facade, well 95 metres wide, is characterized by two rows of round-arched windows that provide maximum light to the building, while the entrance is highlighted by four columns supporting a marked entablature. The front and rear one present instead a simplification of the decoration, while proposing the theme of large window openings. The interior consists mainly of a large hall and several smaller pavilions at the rear, along the way Buontalenti.

DESCRIPTION The main saloon, embellished with some caryatids made by Lorenzo Gori, is covered by a small skylight, restored after the war as a result of damage suffered during the bombing of 1943: many metal trusses, with floral drawings, mark the roof at about 35 metres height from the ground.