GIOVANNI MICHELUCCI(Pistoia, 1891 Firenze, 1990)
Anyone who takes the motorway to Florence North, cannot help but admire the imposing structure of the church of Saint Giovanni Battista which is also jokingly called the 'Church of the Motorway,' and somewhat resembles a big stone 'tent.' It was built between 1961 and 1968 by Giovanni Michelucci who is deservedly considered one of the greatest contemporary architects. Many of his great works have entered into the history of architecture. In Pistoia, Michelucci left works such as the church of Collina, the church of the quarter della Vergine (The Virgin) the 'Villaggio Belvedere' (Belvedere Village) and many other private residences. His projects, drawings, scale models and tracings are visible in the town hall, where a centre for the documents of Giovanni Michelucci has been set up. All his work as an architect showed his deep interest in the town he saw as a place for the collective, where "houses, quarters and neighbourhoods are not for the inhabitants, but for the people" A short distance to the left of Michelucci's house, there is a small vault, called 'del pesce' (of the fish) that leads directly to Via dell'Anguillara.

Vault of the fish and Via dell'Anguillara
The 'Volta del Pesce' (Vault of the fish) was already known by this name as far back as 1473. It is possible that its name comes from activities linked to the fish trade that existed in this area. After the vault, Via dell'Anguillara (street of the Eels) begins. It has had this name since 1845 and popular tradition links its name to the existence of a fish shop which specialised in eels.

Historians however, associate the term 'anguillare' with a "straight and long row of vines". This type of cultivation was certainly present in the orchards of the former monastery of San Giorgio (Saint Giorgio), that originally bordered the Northern side of the road.

Michelucci Foundry
At the beginning of Via dell'Anguillara the Michelucci artistic workshop could be found which was there until 1976. Sadly, all that is left today is just a faded sign painted on the ruined walls of the ancient factory. It was Giovanni Michelucci, one of the most famous architects of the 20th century, who, in 1919, decided to move his prestigious family foundry here. Founded in 1864 by his grandfather Giuseppe near to Puccini orphanage, the foundry specialised in artistic lost-wax casting and in wrought-iron works. Soon after, Giovanni left the direction of the foundry to his younger brother Renzo Michelucci, who chose to develop the artistic side of the workshop.

After the second world war, Renzo, with the help of his highly skilled workers, managed to reach very high standards of quality, becoming between 1950 and 1970 the benchmark for many Italian and foreign artists. Many prestigious works were created in the laboratories of Via dell'Anguillara and in the rented rooms of the nearby church of Saint Giovanni Battista. Included in these works are the 'Resurrezione' (Resurrection) by Pericle Fazzini for the hall of Papal Hearing in the Vatican, the sixteen metre tall statue of Christ which is now in Guayaquil in Ecuador, and also sculptures by Emilio Greco, Giacomo Manzù, Arturo Carmassi, Jorio Vivarelli, Etrog Sorel, Eli Ilan, and many others. In 1976 the Michelucci Foundry moved to a new site in Traversagna, but after ten years and following the death of Renzo, the historic workshop was permanently closed.