Cities are full of stories. They are everywhere: In the cobblestones under your feet; in a metal fence that surrounds the main church; in the lamps and arcades and buildings. Sometimes, you might even find a story on the tail of statue. A lion statue, that is.

But these stories remain hidden without people to share them.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the honor to visit Vicenza’s historic, artisanal copper shop: The Bottega Storica Dal Toso. Here, the Dal Toso family has been making hand-made copperware since 1886. They are one of the few remaining artisanal copper-smiths in all of Italy, and their unassuming bottega would hardly suggest the impact they have made on this beautiful City of Vicenza.

The tail of Saint Mark’s lion within Piazza dei Signori would agree. And thanks to Igino Alessandro Dal Toso and his father Luigi, I have that story to share.

Find the full article here, on TongaTime.com.