FLORENCE'S ORTO DEI SEMPLICI

In another thread, we were discussing Tuscan herbs and "funghi porcini". Tuscany is a paradise for herb lovers and many varieties, such as rosemary, sage and "nipitella" grow wild. It is always a pleasure to buy fresh herbs there if you cannot grow them at home. Most Tuscan dishes are heavily condimented with herbs and butchers have their own special blends. But herbs have been traditionally used for a variety of reasons, particularly in folk medicine.Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus) wrote extensively on the subject and he knew how to recognize all sorts of herbs. With the end of the Roman Empire, the monasteries used to grow herbs to help people with health problems. Ordinary people, generally women, used herbs to heal and for this reason, together with fear and ignorance, they were many times persecuted and called "witches".During the Renaissance, herbs became very popular and herb gardens were established. The first two were the ones in Pisa and Padua. Cosme de Medici became very interested in them and he ordered the creation of the "Giardino dei Semplici" in Florence, which still exists and I encourage anyone interested in this topic to visit it.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orto_Botanico_di_FirenzeThe strange name comes from the difference between the expressions "formula semplice" and "formula magistralis". The first one was a basic preparation with herbs made by an apothecary. The second one, required the prescription from a doctor (magister). These expressions are still used by chemists although very few doctors prescribe nowadays a "formula magistralis".Has anyone visited the Orto in Florence? Not your typical visit, but an interesting one.Any other secret places to visit?