Le Cure

In ancient times, along the Mugnone torrent, the curandaie were dedicated to the 'cure' of linen and hemp cloth, which consisted of washing and bleaching them.
In the district, located outside the city walls, precisely because of the presence of the stream, which provided the indispensable amount of water, various activities sprang up for the processing of ropes and fabrics. The prevalent activity practised gave its name to the district, called Le Cure.
Later, the area became home to various craftsmen's workshops that had an important economic value for the city, such as the Fonderia delle Cure, the Mulino Biondi, the first Galileo, the Società Anonima Les Tramways Florentins, the Romer dye works and the Salani printing works.
The Cure became a residential district following the expansion of the city with the redevelopment of Firenze Capitale, designed and executed by Giuseppe Poggi starting in 1864.

In 1896, the construction of the Campo di Marte railway and the railway line ideally separated the city from the district.
It is worth mentioning the public transport system that Florence devised and expanded from 1873. The horse-drawn carriage service, run by the Impresa Generale degli Omnibus, was replaced over the years by the tramway lines, managed by the Società Anonima Les Tramways Florentins. In the early 1880s, the Florentine tramways expanded to the neighbouring territories of Sesto Fiorentino, Castello, Prato, Rovezzano, Bagno a Ripoli, Settignano, Fiesole and Chianti. In 1895, the steam tramway covered a route of 92.782 km, while the animal-powered tramway covered 27.895 km.

Today, the railway subway system in Piazza delle Cure has become a 'palette' for the many street artists who decorate the walls with their creations.

A not secondary aspect characterises and connotes the Le Cure district, the close relationship with the surrounding nature. Le Cure rises on the slopes of the hills that surround Fiesole, places of infinite peace and beauty that inspired artists such as Telemaco Signorini, Silvestro Lega and Odoardo Borrani.
Nature and the architectural works that stand here - villas, gardens, monasteries, convents, abbeys and churches - coexist harmoniously, instilling in visitors a sense of measure and balance.

This itinerary is part of the European project Crafts Code.