Savonarola Plaque
La Fiorita is an ancient tradition in Florence dating back to Renaissance.
On May 23rd 1498 the Dominican friar and preacher Fra Girolamo Savonarola was hanged and burned in Piazza della Signoria, together with two followers. Their ashes were carted away and scattered in the Arno, in order to prevent devotees from searching for relics.
The morning after petals and flowers covered the area where the execution was done, to honer those deaths. Nowadays a commemorating plaque near Giamologna’s fountain indicates the exact point where Savonarola was executed.
And since then every year on May 23rd roses’ petals are strewed over the plaque in Piazza della Signoria to commemorate Savonarola. This event is officially celebrated with a 10am mess inside the Priori’s Chapel in Palazzo Vecchio, at 10.30 the Fiorata, when the flowers are strewed, and at 11 the costume parade goes to Ponte Vecchio to strew more roses’ petals in the Arno river.
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