Pyramid Icehouse

The pyramid-shaped icehouse, built to keep its interior cold and with no connection to Egypt, stands in the heart of Florence’s Cascine Park, on Viale degli Olmi near Le Pavoniere. This masonry structure is about 10 metres high and was built in 1796 to a design by Giuseppe Manetti, the Florentine architect of Ferdinando III of Lorraine. Inside are niches where snow collected in winter or brought from the Apennines was stored. It lasted until summer, when it was used to make sorbets and ice cream, of which Florentines were apparently particularly fond, and to preserve cheese produced on the grand-ducal farm. Naturally, the pyramid was not the only facility serving this purpose. Since the Renaissance, numerous icehouses, usually conical, had been placed in the ditches along the city walls on stretches exposed to cold north-easterly winds: near Porta al Prato along the walls towards Porta San Gallo, then between that gate and Porta a Pinti, and further on towards Porta alla Croce.