Gran Caffé Doney
Encyclopedia
Gran Caffé Doney or Doney's was a cafeteria
in Florence
established at the end of the 19th century. It was originally located in the Palazzina Reale in the Cascine Park (19th century), the moved on Via Tornabuoni, near the British
Consulate. The Doney was favoured by aristocracy
and upper middle-class, particularly by British citizens living in Florence.
When Benito Mussolini
attacked Abyssinia (presently Ethiopia
), the British expressed their public disapproval. This led to some outbreaks of Fascist violence at the Gran Caffé Doney in 1935–36.
The most famous customers of Gran Caffé Doney have been socialite
Violet Trefusis
who was an acquaintance of Mussolini himself, and a group of elderly English ladies called The Scorpioni
who resided in Florence between the World War
s.
The cafeteria was closed down in 1986.
Gran Caffé Doney is also one of the main settings in Franco Zeffirelli
's autobiographical film, Tea with Mussolini
.
Cafeteria
A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
established at the end of the 19th century. It was originally located in the Palazzina Reale in the Cascine Park (19th century), the moved on Via Tornabuoni, near the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Consulate. The Doney was favoured by aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
and upper middle-class, particularly by British citizens living in Florence.
When Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
attacked Abyssinia (presently Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
), the British expressed their public disapproval. This led to some outbreaks of Fascist violence at the Gran Caffé Doney in 1935–36.
The most famous customers of Gran Caffé Doney have been socialite
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
Violet Trefusis
Violet Trefusis
Violet Trefusis née Keppel was an English writer and socialite. She is most notable for her lesbian affair with Vita Sackville-West, which was featured under disguise in Virginia Woolf's Orlando: A Biography....
who was an acquaintance of Mussolini himself, and a group of elderly English ladies called The Scorpioni
The Scorpioni
The Scorpioni was small group of elderly English ladies who lived in Florence in 1930s and 1940s. They were given the name "Scorpioni" because they were known for their arch humour. One of them was an English governess called Mary O'Neill...
who resided in Florence between the World War
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s.
The cafeteria was closed down in 1986.
Gran Caffé Doney is also one of the main settings in Franco Zeffirelli
Franco Zeffirelli
Franco Zeffirelli KBE is an Italian director and producer of films and television. He is also a director and designer of operas and a former senator for the Italian center-right Forza Italia party....
's autobiographical film, Tea with Mussolini
Tea with Mussolini
Tea with Mussolini is a 1999 British-Italian semi-autobiographical film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, telling the story of young Italian boy Luca's upbringing by a circle of English and American women, before and during World War II.-Plot:...
.
See also
- The ScorpioniThe ScorpioniThe Scorpioni was small group of elderly English ladies who lived in Florence in 1930s and 1940s. They were given the name "Scorpioni" because they were known for their arch humour. One of them was an English governess called Mary O'Neill...
- Tea with MussoliniTea with MussoliniTea with Mussolini is a 1999 British-Italian semi-autobiographical film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, telling the story of young Italian boy Luca's upbringing by a circle of English and American women, before and during World War II.-Plot:...