Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her husband Robert Browning lived in Casa Guidi between 1847 and 1861. They came in the city after getting secretly married, because her father didn’t accept their love.
They were both poets, but only her works were already appreciated when they came to Italy.
Florence was the ideal city to live in: cheaper than other cities in Great Britain, far away from parents and one of the most romantic city for that period.
Ther rented a house in the centre, today known as Casa Guidi.
This house has become one of the historical house of Italy, is situated between Piazza San Felice and via Maggio and is now a house museum belonging to the Eton College.
In Florence there were a lot of famous foreigners, that were considering this city the capital of Culture during the XIX century and they were also really interesting about the changes in Italian history, because here we were talking about a united nation and big men and heroes like Garibaldi were sort of icons for the European romantic middle-class.
Casa Guidi is today a hidden place to discover in Florence, for all who love Brownings' poems and sonnets but also for those who want to open a window on the Italian history seen by foreigners.
The house was in poor shape after Elizabeth’s death and consequentially Robert’s departure and the apartment retained hardly any furniture or paintings. The Browning Society in New York restored it in 1971, before giving it to Eton College which undertook further work so that the building could be used as a study centre.
Today, it is part of The Eton College Collections.
Useful informations for a visit:
CASA GUIDI
Piazza San Felice 8
50123 Firenze
Phone +39 055 354457
Opening time:
from April to November
Mon - Wed – Fri
from 3,00 pm to 6,00 pm