Residents and volunteers clean up mud and debris in a flooded street in Sesto Fiorentino one day after heavy rain hit the Florence region Rome: Florence was out of danger due to the "decisive" role of a key floodgate that prevented the Arno river from bursting its banks after heavy rains Dozens of people were evacuated from their homes Friday after the equivalent of a month's worth of rain fell in six hours flooding streets and swelling waterways in Tuscany "The important flood peak of the Arno passed along the entire length without any critical issues," Tuscany's president Giani said the region's floodgate and expansion basins were "decisive" in lowering the threat to the famous Renaissance city and surrounding areas the hydraulic safety system of the region has made the difference despite the intense and persistent rainfall," he said the level of the Arno was at 3.87 metres (12.7 feet) and slowly receding who added that the levels of all tributaries had fallen below warning levels A red weather alert remains in effect Saturday till 1400 GMT A floodgate located between Pisa and Florence which authorities ordered opened Friday afternoon "literally knocked down the Arno flood wave that was rising," Giani said Construction of the floodgate began after a devastating flood in 1949 But it was not completed in time to help avert another massive flood in 1996 which killed over 100 people and destroyed or damaged countless works of art Approximately 500 firefighters worked over the past 24 hours to carry out 430 interventions in the provinces of Florence Authorities were still responding to "critical issues" in certain towns outside Florence Friday's red weather alert caused Florence's world-famous Uffizi Galleries to close early Tuscan the lone EF rider in the field after Andrea Piccolo's dismissal over the weekend Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost) was the favourite for the Italian Championships on home roads in Sesto Fiorentino and the Tuscan duly lived up to his billing by dropping his breakaway companions on the final climb of Monte Morello with 9km to go as Bettiol cruised home to win by 17 seconds from Lorenzo Rota (Intermarché-Wanty) and Edoardo Zambanini (Bahrain Victorious) who had led the chase behind the breakaway had to settle for fourth place at 20 seconds Giovanni Aleotti (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) Bettiol was the lone EF rider in the field as his compatriot Andrea Piccolo was fired by the team late on Friday after it emerged that he had been stopped by Italian police on suspicion of transporting human growth hormone “I had a lot of friends in the bunch who triggered the winning move with a little over two laps left to race Marco Frigo (Israel-PremierTech) and Samuele Zoccarato (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) clear with him Ciccone and Formolo the strongmen in the chasing group behind The leaders had half a minute in hand come the penultimate climb of Monte Morello where Frigo dropped out of the break with cramp while Bettiol tested the rest with a long stint on the front the break’s lead began to drop inside 20 seconds but the final ascent of Monte Morello provided an obvious springboard for Bettiol The 2019 Tour of Flanders winner controlled the break from the front on the climb and then dropping Rota and Zambanini with a smooth acceleration a kilometre or so from the summit Bettiol managed his advantage smartly thereafter and he had ample time to savour his victory dismounting and lifting his bike above his head after he crossed the line “I didn’t expect to go that strongly because I’d had a complicated week as I fell in at the Tour de Suisse and it was hard to get back into my rhythm,” said Bettiol who will now wear the tricolore when the Giro sets off from Florence next weekend Bettiol will hope these national championships are a foretaste of what is to come when the Tour de France sets out from Florence next weekend the race got under way from Piazzale Michelangelo above Florence The event also doubled as this year’s edition of the Per Sempre Alfredo race and it finished in Alfredo Martini’s hometown of Sesto Fiorentino Bettiol paid tribute to the late commissario tecnico “I saw Alfredo Martini’s family this morning it’s special to win the race here and I hope I can wear this jersey with honour,” Bettiol said “We started in Piazzale Michelangelo this morning which made me look forward even more to next week.” Bettiol will look to replicate this display during the Tour’s tough opening stanza in Italy next week and he will also be the squadra azzurra’s main hope in the Paris 2024 Olympics road race “I’m getting older and more mature and I’m learning from errors,” Bettiol said of a season that has seen him win Milano-Torino and lead the Tour de Suisse for a day these national championships in Florence and the Tour start in Italy.” Results powered by FirstCycling The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999 and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling The Arno River has exceeded the first warning level in Florence the current weather alert for hydraulic risk increases in level and becomes "red" for the provinces of Florence The decision was taken by the Unified Operations Room of the Regional Civil Protection following the crisis unit meeting "The weather situation that led us to issue yesterday's alert is confirmed and has now determined the need to raise the level of attention to red - said the President of the Tuscany Region Eugenio Giani e Monia Monni – We recommend the population to be extremely cautious The regional Civil Protection system is fully operational and we are constantly monitoring the evolution of the situation in coordination with all local authorities” The red alert officially came into force at 12:XNUMX today but the population is invited to be extremely cautious and to limit their movements immediately The Arno River is under special surveillance these hours The red alert concerns the major hydraulic network but an orange alert has also been issued for hydraulic risk of the minor network and storms and a yellow alert for strong winds and storm surges The road sections from Florence to San Casciano of the Fi-Si motorway link and the A1 between Scandicci and Impruneta are already closed due to the consequences of the bad weather The ss 67 and via Colognolese are closed between Pontassieve and La Sieci Train service on track 1 of the Campo di Marte station has been interrupted Precautionary evacuations have been activated in several parts of the Region Heavy rainfall continued throughout the night with particular intensity in the Mugello area with a flow rate of around 1000 cubic metres per second at the Uffizi and the Usciana in Calcinaia have also exceeded the first warning level The Sieve River in Dicomano and Rufina and the Pesa in Turbone are above the second warning level The Roffia flood basin and the Scolmatore d'Arno are ready to be opened when the flood wave passes the assembly of the 'panconcelli' has begun The rainfall will continue in the next few hours with further worsening expected in the morning and afternoon with heavy and persistent rain along a line that from the province of Livorno will extend inland the rain will concentrate mainly in the north-west and will affect Lunigiana more rainfall is expected in the form of showers Siena and Arezzo will be marginally affected with the exception of Pratomagno where showers are expected Very strong sirocco on the hilly areas of the coast which affected the reliefs of Bologna and Romagna last night and early morning has passed and the situation of the rivers is currently under control but the alert for the next few hours remains maximum in the face of the arrival of new storms they are expected in the eastern part of the region arriving from Tuscany and up to the Ravenna coast A situation that could last until the evening should move towards the Modena area and beyond Under maximum observation the Lamone which in Marradi as well as the other waterways starting from the Idice and the tributaries of the Reno follows the evolution of the situation from the Regional Operations Centre (COR) in Bologna together with the Undersecretary Manuela Rontini This morning both participated in a briefing with the national department of Civil Protection and subsequently in a coordination with all the prefectures affected by the event "The forecasts for the night - explained de Pascale - have been confirmed there have been exceedances of the threshold two rivers in the Romagna basin in particular the Lamone and the tributaries of the Reno The most worrying situation at the moment is represented by the Lamone on whose basin very intense precipitations are persisting Our attention will be maximum for the rest of the day because the atmospheric event is ongoing and we fear a worsening of the weather conditions the entire Civil Protection machine is activated as well as the network of volunteers and first aid The request to citizens is to pay maximum attention continue to monitor the channels of the municipalities and the region and to comply with the safety regulations" The government "is close to the populations of the provinces of Emilia Romagna and Tuscany particularly affected in these hours by the wave of bad weather The president Meloni yes it is constantly updated on the evolution of the phenomenon which in some areas creates serious concerns" This was declared by the Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies Nello Musumeci “I endorse the call for maximum caution made by the local authorities I do not exclude signing the decree of state of mobilization of the National Civil Protection Service also for the Tuscany Region now being examined by our technicians coordinated by Fabio Ciciliano“ together with the heads of the Civil Protection and Casa Italia departments the presidents of the Regions involved and the general secretaries of the respective District Authorities for a discussion on the possible priority initiatives to adopt with structural prevention works Only with institutional collaboration will we be able to reduce the risk exposure of our territories” “My thoughts go out to the populations affected by the bad weather that is hitting various areas of Italy causing serious damage and difficulties for citizens,” wrote Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on X “Heartfelt thanks to all the police forces and rescuers who are providing assistance to the affected communities The government is at the side of the populations in difficulty and will guarantee all necessary support,” she added Read also other news on Nova News Click here and receive updates on WhatsApp Follow us on the social channels of Nova News on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram 2000 - 2025 Nova Agency. All rights reserved The new high school is situated in a Florentine plain former agricultural context and develops in one single elongated volume, made up of three blocks, two with a teaching/educational function and one dedicated to the gym.  The solidity of the blocks is interrupted by demi-courts which open up towards the scenery and are sloped so as to recall the directors of the country church present on the lot; the orientation of these pits also guarantees perfect lighting of the learning spaces. Axonometric ViewThe two main stairs are in fact the heart of the interior’s project: characterized by a double height they represent the places of vertical connection where it’s possible for students to build relationships and grow beyond the classroom A CONI-certified gym and a flexible auditorium complete the school’s equipment The entrance system is designed for the use of collective spaces even outside the school in the multifunctional perspective of serving not only the school but also Sesto’s community which is very little considering Italian public works” – explain the architects You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email When people in Sesto Fiorentino, a suburb of Florence, heard 50 asylum seekers were moving into a former hotel in the historic centre, they responded in much the same way as those in other parts of Italy Influenced by scenes on TV of migrants disembarking from boats in the south and a fearmongering campaign launched by local politicians from Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party and during a fractious meeting last June residents told Lorenzo Falchi the 38-year-old leftwing mayor elected a year earlier Sesto has become a model for how to treat migrants with dignity while keeping local people onside “There was a lot of social alarm,” said Dalila De Pasquale a Florence-based social cooperative that manages the Il Gerlino hotel where the migrants now live Concerns had mostly centred on the changing face of Piazza Vittorio Veneto the main square overlooked by the town hall “People were worried about noise and rubbish but it was mainly about perception,” said De Pasquale Antipathy towards the newcomers in Sesto Fiorentino was aggravated by the effects of the lingering economic downturn alongside a perceived breakdown in basic public services in an area that once boasted a thriving porcelain industry The scheme to integrate the new arrivals began with a joint mission to rid the square of the residents’ biggest gripe: cigarette butts. Migrants Stories were shared and some common ground was found One of the pensioners had spent his childhood in Libya a former Italian colony and now a major transit route for migrants trying to reach Europe a young migrant disclosed his traumatic experience of imprisonment there The project evolved into a weekly catch-up on the square between local residents and migrants with business owners also getting involved now teaches the migrants how to write a CV and conduct themselves in job interviews despite some people having lingering reservations about the migrants’ presence And now Sesto Fiorentino is to become home to a mosque the first official place of worship to serve the 30,000 Muslims in the Florence area The go-ahead was eventually given in late December after the Catholic church agreed to sell a plot of land to the Islamic community Falchi hopes that this corner of Tuscany can be a beacon of optimism for the rest of Italy even as parties exploit the migrant crisis for political gain ahead of the general elections on 4 March Campaigning reached a new low point last week when Attilio Fontana the far-right Northern League candidate vying to be the next governor of the Lombardy region claimed the influx threatened to wipe out “our white race” Pape Diaw moved to Italy from Senegal 40 years ago to study engineering He recalls a period when people were more convivial towards each other and strangers “We need to get people talking again – knowledge can help dissipate conflict I look at France and the mistakes they have made with immigration; there is still time for Italy to avoid that.” as the migrants await the outcome of their asylum requests their days are filled with Italian classes computer training and lessons on how to adapt to their new environment “We have been helped a lot and are very grateful,” said Apu Khan a billboard testifies to the challenges that migrants still face Paid for by the far-right Brothers of Italy party the hoarding carries a simple message: “No mosque!” This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media The TimesMuslims in Florence who have campaigned for years to be allowed to build a mosque are to be sold land by the Catholic Church Despite opposition from local residents the diocese of Florence has agreed to sell a parcel of church land in Sesto Fiorentino meaning Muslims in the area will no longer be forced to pray in garages and basements told city officials: “Everyone has a right to a dignified place to practise their own religion.” welcomed the dealGABRIEL BOUYS/GETTY IMAGESReluctance by local authorities to allow mosques is widespread and nothing new A decade ago a group of councillors in Padua walked a pig across a site where a mosque was planned in the Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Tuesday World Subscribers only In Zurich the leaf blower war or the anti-'woke' backlash World Subscribers only Germany's Friedrich Merz is embracing pragmatism World Subscribers only Trump-Carney meeting: Canada seeks reconciliation World Subscribers only Friedrich Merz bets on two private sector converts to revive the German economy and reform the state World Subscribers only Founder of Sant'Egidio community fears next pope could undo Francis's legacy Opinion Subscribers only 'Russian gas and Europe is an old story that ended badly Economy Subscribers only Europe's steel industry flattened by crisis World Subscribers only How European countries plan to fund defense efforts France Subscribers only Macron announces citizens' convention on school schedules France Subscribers only 21 charged over French prison attacks as investigation narrows in on drug traffickers France Subscribers only French mosque stabber was driven by 'morbid fascination,' prosecutor says France Subscribers only At the trial of Kim Kardashian's robbers Videos World expos: From Paris 1855 to Osaka 2025 Videos How the Trump administration is attacking scientific research in the US Videos Tesla cars set on fire in Las Vegas as calls to boycott Musk's company grow worldwide Videos Can France's nuclear deterrent protect Europe Opinion Subscribers only 'The American dream is dying' Opinion Subscribers only John Bolton: 'The term chaos is commonly used to describe the top of the Defense Department' Opinion Subscribers only 'It is pointless to imagine a significant wave of American academics leaving' Magazine Subscribers only Tracking down the pianos taken from French Jews during the Nazi Occupation Magazine Subscribers only Eve Rodsky the American helping couples balance the mental load Magazine Subscribers only Desecration or more glory Joan Didion's private diaries are revealed Magazine Subscribers only For Jewish cartoonist Joann Sfar 2025."> Pixels Subscribers only Golden Owl solution is revealed but leaves players of 31-year hunt disappointed Pixels Subscribers only Secrets of decades-long Golden Owl treasure hunt to be revealed Lifestyle Inside Chanel's French leather workshops Culture Subscribers only The marvelous bronzes of Angkor on display at the Musée Guimet in Paris Torrential rains have caused Italian authorities to issue red alerts for parts of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna Italian authorities ordered dozens of people in Tuscany to leave their homes Friday after heavy rains swelled rivers and flooded streets near the historic cities of Florence and Pisa Regional chief Eugenio Giani said a red weather alert demanded that people exercise "maximum care and attention" amid "intense and persistent rain." Several dozen people were told to evacuate with the help of firefighters from low-lying villages and a floodplain near Pisa Florence authorities ordered the Uffizi Galleries The fire service published images of cars partially submerged in the town of Sesto Fiorentino as Giani told residents to keep clear of ground floors and basements "My thoughts go to the populations affected by the bad weather that is hitting various areas of Italy causing serious damage and difficulties to citizens," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted on X The government would "guarantee all necessary support" More than 500 firefighters were working across Tuscany with more than 300 interventions either carried out or planned Bernardo Gozzini from the Tuscan weather service Consorzio Lamma told the Corriere della Sera that 60 millimetres (2.4 inches) of rain had fallen in the area around Sesto Fiorentino between 6:00 am and noon we usually have 70 millimetres of total precipitation," Gozzini said it is as if a month's worth of rain had fallen in six hours." parks and cemeteries in Florence and nearby Prato were already closed after an order on Thursday Giani said floodgates and expansion tanks had been opened to ease the pressure on the Arno the river that runs through Florence and Pisa the Arno was expected to surge to its highest point in the early evening Three people and their dog were hoisted to safety by helicopter in Gattaia said in a live post on Facebook that the situation "is worse than in 2019," when the Empoli flooded "It's one of the hardest moments in recent history," he said army soldiers placed sand bags behind a barrier lining a swollen river while Pisa's Mayor Michele Conti said the situation was "very complex" and urged residents to stay home Scientists have repeatedly warned that man-made climate change amplifies the risk of natural disasters such as floods Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en train de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur En cliquant sur « Continuer à lire ici » et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez mais en les utilisant à des moments différents Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe. Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article Pour plus d’informations, merci de contacter notre service commercial. ItalyChevron TuscanyChevron FlorenceChevron Sounds lovely! What can we find here, or what should we look for?The collections are laid out in a series of rooms designed to mimic an elegant home: the dining room, the drawing room, the kitchen, and so on. Many designs have changed little over the years; all are priced as single items, and all are available for shipping. Got it. If money’s no object, what goes in the cart?Each piece in the Paesaggi, or Landscapes range, a Ginori classic, is painted by hand in the Sesto Fiorentino factory. One dinner plate costs €975 ($1,125). And … what if we’re on a strict budget?If you like white on white, you're in luck; a dinner plate from the all-white Vecchio Ginori line (designed in 1740) costs €34 (about $39); a mug with gold trim costs around €70 (about $80). Excellent. What's the experience of shopping here like?Ginori is a classic local brand; many Florentine homes have some Ginori pieces gracing their dining tables. Most visitors come to ogle the gorgeous stock rather than to buy, but every now and then you'll see someone reaching for the credit card. Noted! Any secret tips, or “don’t go home without” purchases?During the shop's occasional sales, items from the factory in Sesto Fiorentino are sold off at ridiculously low prices. up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world Broad bean cultivation banned within 300-metre radius of child’s home near Florence The mayor of an Italian town has banned the cultivation of broad beans within a 300-metre radius surrounding the home of a child who has a rare allergy Lorenzo Falchi introduced the ban in Sesto Fiorentino a genetic disorder that triggers anaemia if broad beans are eaten or their pollen is inhaled near the child’s home must stop within the next seven days said it would have limited impact on growers a big baseball pitch and a number of allotments,” he said “It’s not as if it’s a big production area for beans so it won’t put any agricultural companies in difficulty.” The local authority initially rejected the mother’s request but the mayor was eventually moved to act after the child received a long period of care last year at one of Italy’s top children’s hospitals The condition is triggered by favism and causes red blood cells to be destroyed faster than the body can replace them “The mayor took a cautionary measure,” said Rizzo “But it is not unusual; other towns in Italy have adopted similar measures.” Favism mainly affects males of Mediterranean descent and can occur at any age Broad beans are called fave in Italian and are a staple part of the springtime diet Thirty-five pieces of European and Italian manufactures donated by collector and scholar Giorgio Levi will be on display for the first time in the Project Room of the MIC - International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza from February 8 decorated by airbrush in the 1930s.Specimens of German ceramics will be on view accompanied by items from leading Italian manufactures: particularly significant is Galvani of Pordenone which in the 1930s produced a large production of low-cost earthenware characterized by bright colors and airbrush decorations Galvani was joined by other manufactures that similarly made use of the airbrush in creative and innovative ways: the Ceramiche Rometti of Umbertide Carraresi and Lucchesi of Sesto Fiorentino Ceramic collector and scholar Giorgio Levi described the role of the airbrush in the creation of a modern decorative language capable of translating And thanks to its greater economy and speed compared to traditional painting the airbrush led to the simplification of Futurist and Deco decorations by manufactures that interpreted the Futurist style in a decorative key The exhibition is open to the public until May 3 For info: www.micfaenza.org 1930-39) - Airbrushed two-tone vase on green background with trees and gazelle