Bianca Cappello

What people wore

The everyday lucco robe for men

In summer, Florentine men of age eighteen or older often wore a long black robe called a lucco, which was made of serge or black cloth and reached nearly to their heels. For winter, this comfortable garment was often lined with fur or velvet to provide additional warmth.

Daily life

Schooling for children in Florence

Merchant children attended practical abacus schools to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic for trade, while wealthier families hired private tutors to teach Latin, grammar, and geometry. Girls were traditionally taught domestic arts, though some progressive families began to push for broader education.

Work

Work day dictated by church bells

The working day typically began at dawn, regulated by church bells, and lasted until sunset, with pauses for meals at the third and ninth hours. Night work was strictly prohibited.

Music

Civic wind ensembles played for celebrations

Civic wind bands known as pifferi, typically consisting of shawms and trombones, provided music for major public ceremonies, banquets, and religious festivals.

At the table

Meat as a rare treat

When a pig was slaughtered, it was customary for neighbors to share blood sausage as a gesture of friendship and good luck. Meat was otherwise rarely consumed by the poor, reserved primarily for special occasions like holidays.

Getting around

Pack animals dominated 16th-century travel

In the 16th century, travel across mountain routes was done exclusively by pack animals like mules, as carriages could not navigate the terrain. Large carts used on flat roads were often pulled by oxen, while carriages were rare and uncomfortable, lacking suspension.

What it cost

Desperate food sources during famine

In desperate conditions, the poor consumed unusual sources of food; mice were purchased for one giulio each, and cats were sold for forty soldi.