The Mercato Centrale
Always… in Florence's historic Mercato Centrale.
“For its convenience and its magnificence, Florence’s Mercato Centrale will have no equal anywhere else in Italy”
Iron, glass and cast iron
When Florence became the capital of Italy, the way Florentines traded changed, and the city needed dedicated places for the exchange of goods. As part of the Risanamento, the renewal that would change the face of the city, the main commercial activities were brought together in specific places: this is how the covered markets were born, following the model already tried in Paris.
Designed by the architect Giuseppe Mengoni and inspired by Les Halles in Paris, the covered market of San Lorenzo was built with materials that were entirely modern for the time: iron, glass and cast iron.
From 1874 to today
In the spring of 1874 the King himself opened the International Horticultural Exhibition here. The building had the most modern facilities: Mengoni placed the ice stores and warehouses in the basement, with ramps for carts and accessible stairs.
Later a canopy was built outside to house the shops that could not light fires indoors, such as the fry shops. The building took its present shape only in 1978, when doubling its volume created the upper floor, where fruit and vegetables moved; at the same time the warehouses below were replaced by the car park that is still in use today.
Find us
- Where
- Macelleria Massimo Manetti
Inside the Mercato Centrale
50123 Florence, Italy - Opening hours
- Monday – Saturday, 8 am – 3 pm
Mon – Sat, 8 am – 3 pm - Phone
- +39 055 214045
- info@massimomanetti.it
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