The markets of Florence, in the region of Tuscany, Italy, are many, but one of the most famous is the Mercato Centrale which is located between the Via dell'Ariento and the Piazza del Mercato. A two storey building, built of glass and steel in 1874 by Giuseppe Mengoni (1829-1877).
Mengoni was the architect for the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, Italy, probably one of the first 'modern shopping malls'. Ironically, Mengoni died accidently, at 48, by a fall from the roof of a galleria.On the ground floor of the Mercato Centrale (Central Market) the stalls contain all kinds of meat, both fresh and cured (such as the delicious Prosciutto Hams), fish and cheeses. There is even a stall specializing in tripe.
Lampredotto - Florentine abomasum - is a dish made from tripe, placed in a sandwich and served with a hot sauce. On the upper floor, one will find fresh fruit and vegetables as well as dried fruits, preserves, honey, herbs and wine.The Mercato Centrale is open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.Other Florentine markets are - Mercato di San Lorenzo, where tourists and locals alike, can find all kinds of bargains, or Mercato di Sant Ambrogia for fruit, vegetables and clothing.
Then there is Mercato dei Fiori where there are plants and flowers galore, Mercato del Porallino for inexpensive souvenirs and a flea market at Piazza dei Ciompi. On Tuesday mornings, La Cascine's is an open-air market with food, clothing and bargain items, and for the organic fans - on the third Sunday each month the Fierucola organic fest sells all things healthy including vegetables, of course, preserves, honey and spices.
There are many wonderful things to see in Florence, Italy, but one should get the flavour of the city by visiting some of the colourful markets.Prosciuttio Ham hanging up at the Mercato Centrale (Central Markets) in the City of Florence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Province of Florence, Region of Tuscany, Italy, Europe.
I photographed this photo with the digital SLR camera model Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, aperture of f/3.2, exposure time of 1/50 sec. on ISO 200, as always I used a original Canon Lens, the focus lenght for this picture was 24mm.
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