2016 Adventures of Chris and Joe in Italy: The Leather School...

We were fortunate enough to hear about the Leather school in Florence and pay a visit. Scuola del Cuoio (the leather school) was created after World War II through the collaborative efforts of the Franciscan friars of the Monastery of Santa Croce and the Gori and Casini families, Florentine leather artisans since the 1930’s. Their mission was to give orphans of the war a means to learn a practical trade with which to earn a living.

Santa Croce, with its strategic position along the banks of the Arno river, since the 13th century had been historically the district where the industries that required great quantities of water were concentrated. The tanners of via delle Conce and via dei Conciatori, just a few steps from the garden entrance of the Monastery and Scuola del Cuoio, were an important part of the Santa Croce neighborhood with the dyers of Corso dei Tintori and even the soap makers of via dei Saponai. The tanned hides were used for centuries for the leather manufacturing of the city and at the Monastery itself to cover the great manuscripts. Post-war Scuola del Cuoio brought those traditions back to the Monastery.

The friars converted the old dormitory space for the school and the first workbenches were placed in the corridor. The main corridor is also decorated with frescoes and the coat of arms of the Medici family. Interestingly, the first students came from the "Citta dei Ragazzi"...the Boys' Town of Pisa...they were taught how to make decorative items, embossing and gilding them.

Santa Croce...the entrance to the school is around the back of the church

what a place to go to school !

Today, students attend from all over the world, and the leather products are well known everywhere...there will even be a shop opening in New York City soon !

History note : General Dwight D. Eisenhower even used a leather desk set hand-crafted and gilded from Scuola del Cuoio.

tools of the trade...

embossing tools

A beautiful showroom.....

frescoes remain from the original monastery

We just had to buy something...of course ! A new wallet for Joe and a great purple purse for me...after our purchase, the saleswoman told us we could have our initials gilded for free !