A block of upmarket flats dubbed the 'black cube' has sparked fury in Florence amid claims it darkens the ancient city's skyline and could see it lose its Unesco status.
The dark brass building is out of step with the traditional colour and character of the architecture and rises above neighbouring buildings in the iconic Tuscan city, which boasts the 14th-century Palazzo Vecchio and Giotto's bell tower among dozens of notable church buildings.
The luxury flats, which will be equipped with a terrace, a spa, a sunroom, a gym and a restaurant, are built on the site of an old theatre on Corso Italia, within the Unesco heritage area, and are surrounded by 19th-century buildings.
Labelled an 'affront to Florence', the 'black cube' has garnered widespread condemnation, while the city's public prosecutor has opened an inquiry to determine if there have been violations of heritage rules and planning regulations.
Just four per cent of those polled said they liked the building while 72.8 per cent called for the building's demolition, local newspaper La Nazione found.
