Florence & Tuscany Guide / Bookshops / Libreria Martelli

To trace the origins of this famous bookstore, we have to go back to the flourishing cultural environment of nineteenth century Florence, Italy. In 1840 Felice & Alessandro Poggi opened a book shop, which quickly became a meeting place for the literati of the period. Later, the business was taken over by Alessandro Poggi's grandson, Enrico Bemporad, who published many important works including "The Adventures of Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi, that was to be translated into 140 languages. When the racial laws were promulgated, the Bemporad name was removed and replaced by Marzocco, a former symbol of Florence, Italy.

In the course of its history, the bookshop has been restored and renewed twice: after the flood of 1966, and at the end of 2003, when the Company "Le giubbe rosse" took over the property, changing the old name into "Libreria Martelli"; the new ownership has tried, however, to exploit the main features of the old bookshop, by confirming the wide choice of books, and maintaining the same staff of the former "Marzocco Bookshop".

Libreria Martelli is on Via dei Martelli, 22/r. The telephone number is +39 055 2657603.