One of the top cities to visit in Europe is Florence, Italy. It is home to one of the most famous city squares, the Piazza del Michelangelo, dedicated to the brilliant Renaissance artist. Another popular location in Florence is the Piazza della Repubblica. It contains one of the world’s most famous carousels, which are also known as merry-go-rounds in the US.
In the Family
This carousel has been in the Picci family for over 100 years. Current owner Carlo Picci loves running his family’s business. While the merry-go-round’s shape and size do not stand out, its location and history sell tickets.
Picci points out another advantage: the small number of horses allows for children’s parents to stand next to them for reassurance.
The ceiling of the merry-go-round is painted with dozens of Italian cities, such as Pisa, Rome, Bologna, Parma, and Venice. It would be fun to close your eyes, point to the ceiling of the carousel, and then take a trip to that city.
One of the authors enjoys a ride
A Quiet Ride
Another unique feature of this carousel is its lack of musical accompaniment. Picci says that he would not want loud music to distract from people enjoying the piazza. Clearly, Picci and his family really care as much for the tourists as they do for this business. They provide entertainment without distracting those who are enjoying other attractions in the Piazza della Repubblica.
As Picca owns this small business on his own, he has to consider many factors in the costs of operation and profit. He has to maintain the mechanics, aesthetics, and structure of the carousel in order to encourage tourists to purchase tickets.
Have a change to suggest for this story? We’d love for you to submit it!
