I Cavalli di Firenze / The Horses of Florence: La Storia dei Ferri / The Story of Iron Horse Hitches

Beginning in the late 13th century, ferri (iron hitches) were wrought to tether horses to the facades of Florentine palaces and public buildings. Their original function no longer necessary, they remain standing today as architectural ornament and a reminder of an early age. This book provides a short history of the ferri and the palaces they adorn, with photographs highlighting the animal-like sculptures that surmount them. They illustrate a creative, yet crude form of early Italian folk art. “To my knowledge there is no other compilation as extensive as the one presented here... What emerges strongly, along with the history of these decorated ferri , is their continued existence today” Claudio Paolini, Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici di Firenze