Beyond the Yalla Dog

The Giglio of Florence

The Giglio of a red Lily or Iris on a white background has been the symbol of the City of Florence since the middle of the 14Century when the Guelfs finally triumphed over their longstanding enemies the Ghibellines and – in common with re-branding these days – wanted to show that the City was substantially the same but under new management!

Their simple solution was the same logo – the Giglio – but changed from the Guelfs white lily on red background to the more modern Ghibellini mark of a red lily on a white background!

This month Iris’s are in bloom in Florence again and the Iris garden is open for all to admire

Iris' in bloom in May