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Florence and surrounding Tuscany are at the top of many travelers bucket lists of places to see in Italy and the World, and for good reason. The landscape is picturesque and with the many cultural cities, loads of great sights and activities await. Florence is the top of Tuscany sights with all its splendor and countless beautiful churches, palaces and more.
The city, with all its marble, offers plenty of things to do. Among the most famous places to visit are the magnificent cathedral of the city and its baptismal chapel. Palazzo Pitti with the impressive Boboli Gardens, the unique bridge of Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery’s distinguished collections and the area around the Republic Square are good choices as well.
The walk along the river Arno is also beautiful. The natural highlight is Ponte Vecchio with its unique architecture with stalls on both sides. From here, cozy streets takes you in all directions to squares and sights. An overview of Florence is at its best from the square Piazzale Michelangelo, which is almost a must on a trip here. From here you can see Florence’s churches and other well known monuments.
The beautiful Tuscan countryside with its vineyards and charming medieval towns surrounds Florence, and there are many nice places to go on a day trip. The larger cities include Pisa with the Leaning Tower and Bologna with its many arcades and brick buildings. Unforgettable Siena is also close by, and you can also, for example, walk in the footsteps of Leonardo da Vinci, which starts in the city of Vinci.
Florence’s Santa Maria Cathedral is also simply called the Cathedral/Duomo. It was founded on the basis of Arnolfo di Cambio’s drawings in the year 1296 on the exact spot where the former Santa Reparata Cathedral was and had been for centuries. Santa Maria was largely completed in 1436, but the facade was last changed in 1876-1887.
Covered in green, white and pink marble, the cathedral’s facade is like standing in front of a colossal work of art. The Campanile bell tower accompanies the facade and was built in the same splendor as Cambio’s church building. It was erected in the 14th century according to Giotto’s drawings.
One of the striking architectural features of the church is the octagonal dome, which in 1419 a competition was held to design. The winner was Filippo Brunelleschi, who in the years 1420-1436 constructed the technically difficult dome with, among other things, over four million bricks.
Inside you are greeted by a colossal church room 153 meters in length. The width is 38 metres, and under the dome there are 90 meters to the ceiling. You can enjoy various works of art such as Domenico di Michelino’s painting from Dante’s Divine Comedy. It was painted in 1465 and is particularly interesting because it gives a picture of 15th century Florence.
The cathedral’s 44 stained glass windows from the 1300s-1400s are the largest from Italy of this time, and the artists behind them are some of the greatest Florentine painters. Of the frescoes, you can see the 3,600 square meter painting under the dome. It was carried out in 1568-1579. Beneath the cathedral is a crypt where the building’s primary architect, Filippo Brunelleschi, is buried.
The baptistery Battistero di San Giovanni is a masterpiece of Florentine Romanesque architecture, and it stands at the same time as a classic baptistery from the Middle Ages. Baptisteries were usually round or octagonal with a large central space under a dome, which is also the case in Florence.
The chapel is believed to be the oldest preserved building in Florence. It was originally built in 1059 as a replacement for an earlier chapel. The building, with its elegant marble decoration, was completed in 1128. However, the lantern on top was installed in 1150.
One of the baptistery’s well-known details are the beautifully decorated bronze doors. They date from the 1300s and 1500s. The oldest are from 1329 and are located to the south. Inside there are a number of fine mosaics, and one of the most beautiful is the one that spreads over the entire dome.
Ponte Vecchio was built in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi and is the city’s oldest bridge. Originally, blacksmiths’ workshops, butchers and other rather noisy and sleazy businesses were set up on the bridge, at least in Ferdinando I’s opinion. He moved them in 1593, and since then there have been goldsmiths’ workshops in the shops and in the houses that were built so that they almost overhang the Arno River.
In 1564-1565, the Medici family architect Vasari added the Vasariano Corridor/Corridorio Vasariano, a covered passageway isolated at a high level on the eastern side of the bridge. The corridor was built as a connection between the Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti, allowing the ruling Medici to pass between their most important buildings without having to go out to the people. In the corridor hangs a number of works of art by great masters.
To the south on the Ponte Vecchio rises the medieval tower Mannelli. It is a defense tower that was supposed to protect the bridge. The Mannelli family also defended the tower itself, and the Vasariano Corridor was built in a detour around it.
The national museum Museo Nazionale del Bargello was founded in 1859, but the castle-like museum building itself was built in 1255 as the city’s town hall and seat of the local militia. Later, it housed, among other things, the Magistrate, who was called Bargello, and which gave the place its name.
The Bargello is one of the country’s oldest national museums, and its work focuses on sculptures and smaller art forms. The exhibition contains countless works by great masters such as Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Donatello and Giambologna. Michelangelo’s Bacchus and Donatello’s David are on display, and on the floors you can also see other effects such as valuable jewels, ivory and weapons.
In Signoria square, Florence’s town hall, Palazzo Vecchio, with its Campanile tower, whose bells only ring in particularly threatening situations for the city, is enthroned. Palazzo Vecchio is Florence’s most important historical secular building. Construction began in 1299 according to Arnolfo di Cambio’s drawings, and it was completed in 1322.
From the outside, the house resembles the original from the Middle Ages, while the interior largely stems from a rebuild in the mid-16th century, when Palazzo Vecchio was the ducal residence of Cosimo I. In the latter half of the 15th century, however, a number of rooms were also newly furnished.
There are particularly beautiful and magnificently decorated halls to be seen in the building. The largest is the Salone dei Cinquecento from 1495. The artist Vasari decorated the hall with frescoes that show glimpses of Florence’s history. Another beautiful hall is the Lily Hall/Sala dei Gigli, where Ghirlandaio painted frescoes in 1485.
Among the many other things and places worth seeing is the beautiful 14th-century farm, which was, however, modified later by Michelozzo. Of works of art, you can admire Michelangelo’s statue Victory, which he produced in 1533-1534. It was originally intended for a place on Pope Julius II’s tomb, but in 1565 Duke Cosimo received it as a gift after Florence’s victory over Siena.
The Uffizi Gallery is one of Italy’s finest museums, and it is also considered to be among the world’s leading. The museum buildings were built in the 1560s and 1570s as offices (uffizi) for Duke Cosimo I’s new administration of Tuscany.
The museum was founded as early as 1581 by Francesco I de Medici, who collected many masterpieces that have since been amply supplemented, not least by the ruling Medici family. The last Medici, Anna Maria Lodovica, bequeathed the entire collection to Florence in 1737.
Today, in an excellent collection, you can see works by Italian and foreign artists from the 13th-18th centuries. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Rubens, Goya and Rembrandt are just some of the artists represented here.
There are also other collections and types of objects on display. In terms of time, the museum extends from an ancient Greek and Roman collection to Gothic art and the core of the collection from the Renaissance to around the 18th century.
Luca Pitti had this mansion built in the mid-15th century based on Brunelleschi’s drawings. About a hundred years later, the ruling Medici family bought the mansion and moved their residence here. Over the following centuries, the palace was repeatedly rebuilt and expanded, and in 1564-1565 it was connected to the most important Medici buildings north of the Arno River through the Vasariano Corridor.
After the Medici family and the subsequent Lorraine family, the palace was a short transitional residence for the king of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, and it was the later king, Vittorio Emanuele III, who in 1919 gave the palace to the Italian state and the Italian people.
From the Medici’s 16th-century mansion, you can today see the beautiful courtyard, where a fountain by Francesco Susuni was erected in 1641. Otherwise, it is inside that a visit to Palazzo Pitti impresses with a distinguished collection of works of art and other exhibits.
Palazzo Pitti now houses several museums, the most important of which is the Palatina Gallery/Galleria Palatina, which exhibits the Medici dukes’ private collection of paintings from the 15th-17th centuries. The gallery is housed in the beautifully decorated rooms of the Medici family, and they too are worth a visit. In addition to the many paintings, you can see a curiosity in the Venus Hall/Sala di Venere; namely the statue of Venus that Napoleon commissioned in 1810 to replace the one he had moved to Paris.
Beneath the Palatina gallery is the Museo degli Argenti, where the objects on display are applied art, household goods and various effects from the reign of the Medici. In addition, the lavishly furnished royal suites are also particularly interesting, and other museums include the Museum of Modern Art/Galleria d’Arte Moderne and the Costume Collection/Galleria del Costume.
The garden Giardino di Boboli is considered to be one of Italy’s most beautiful. It was laid out on the Boboli hill at the Palazzo Pitti by Tribolo in 1550 and developed a few times since. There is quite a bit to see around the garden, which the Medici dukes had laid out immediately after their purchase of the Palazzo Pitti.
In an axis running from the Palazzo Pitti itself lies a formal garden complex, built with symmetry. Centrally and towards the end of the axis you can see Stoldo Lorenzo’s fountain of Neptune from the 1560s. Close to this is the Porcelain Museum/Museo delle Porcellane.
Far to the north is the curious decorative building with the name Den Store Grotte/La Grotta Grande. The facade of the building has some beautiful statues by, among others, Michelangelo. Near La Grotta Grande is the beautiful fountain with Bacchus, which was erected in 1560.
At the bottom of the Boboli Garden are areas with denser tree cover, beautiful avenues and a moat with The Small Island/L’Isolotto as the centre. There is also an orangery here, which was built in 1777-1778.
The Romanesque church of San Miniato al Monte is considered one of Tuscany’s finest in its style. It was erected very beautifully at the top of a large staircase at one of the highest points in the city.
The church was built from 1013, and over the following centuries the complex was built upon. The elegant facade in white and green marble was begun in 1090, while the church tower dates from 1523. However, it replaced the earlier one, which had collapsed in 1499.
Inside, the church is beautifully and differently built than so many others. The choir was built on a raised platform between the tall columns under the wooden roof. The floor mosaic was laid in 1207, and in addition there are a number of chapels and frescoes that are worth seeing.
The beautiful Medici Riccardi mansion is one of Florence’s finest privately built Renaissance buildings. It was designed by Michelozzo, who also built the house for Cosimo de Medici in the years 1445-1460.
The mansion contains a fine Italian courtyard, which was inspired by former monastery buildings. However, the most famous is the Magi chapel/Cappella dei Magi, where you can see the frescoes of the master Benozzo Gozzoli from 1459-1461.
The Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of Florence’s largest church buildings, and it is also one of the city’s oldest churches. The original parts of the basilica date from 393, when it was consecrated as the city’s cathedral. This status later passed to Santa Reparata, which stood on the site of the current cathedral.
The church was later rebuilt over several rounds, the most extensive was from 1419, when the Medici family wanted to finance a new church. The first and most important architect was Filippo Brunelleschi. The new and current church is decorated with a dome and is considered a good example of the early Renaissance.
Inside the basilica itself, there are many works by, among others, Donatello and Bronzino. The building is part of a larger monastic building complex, and next to it are the Old Sacristy/Sagrestia Vecchia and the New Sacristy/Sagrestia Nuova, which were built by Brunelleschi and Michelangelo respectively. The New Sacristy houses the tombs of the Medici family and is better known as the Medici Chapel (Piazza degli Aldobrandini).
In the monastery complex, you can also see the Laurentian Library/Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, which was designed by Michelangelo for the Medici family’s extensive book and manuscript collection.
Florence’s central market is a building that was built during the so-called Risanamento era at the end of the 1800s. Florence was the capital of Italy for a time, and on that occasion many new and modern institutions were built, including the Mercato Central.
The then modern market building was built by the man behind the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, and in the construction, cast iron was used in the large hall, in which mainly food is still traded.
Stazione di Santa Maria Novella is a railway station that stands in architectural contrast to the neighboring building, the ancient Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. Florence’s railway station is considered one of the great works of Italian modernism.
The railway station was designed in 1932 by several architects of the Gruppo Toscano, and Benito Mussolini’s approval of the project was seen as the blue stamp for the new modernist architecture that characterized Italian public buildings throughout the 1930s.
Basilica della Santissima Annunziata is a basilica founded in 1250. It is considered to be one of Florence’s most important church buildings. The facade is not from the original church, but rather the result of a change from 1601. The facade was built to harmonize with the facade of the Hospital of the Innocents, which is also located in Annunziata Square.
The basilica is visited by many pilgrims who come to see the portrait of the Virgin Mary, which is said to have been finished by an angel while the artist slept. The special portrait is now kept in a purpose-built place from 1481.
Inside the church itself, you can see a baroque interior that was begun in 1644. The large rotunda is older, as it was built by Michelozzo and Alberti in the period 1444-1476. By the basilica there are some associated monastic buildings, and they contain, among other things, beautiful frescoes by Andrea del Sarto.
Piazzale Michelangelo is a square in Bologna that Giuseppe Poggi laid out in 1869. After walking or driving up to the square, you are rewarded with a fabulous view of Florence that should be experienced during a visit to the city.
At one’s feet are all the city’s famous buildings and the Arno river with the Ponte Vecchio as a panoramic view. In the evening it is also a special sight with all the illumination of the city. Copies of Michelangelo’s David and the four sculptures from the Medici family’s tomb monument are also displayed in the square.
Florence’s archaeological museum was founded on the Medici family’s collection and later expanded through, among other things, a Franco-Tuscan trip to Egypt in the 1820s and the works of other keen collectors.
The collection particularly depicts Etruscan art and civilization, but you can also see Greek, Roman and Egyptian finds. One of the most noteworthy objects is the Etruscan Francois vase, dating from 570 BC. The museum building is a former residence palace that was built in 1620 by the architect Giulio Parigi as a residence for Maria de Medici.
The square Piazza della Signoria has been the center of Florence’s political and social life since around the year 1300. With its great importance, it has been richly decorated with not least statues. In addition, the city’s town hall, Palazzo Vecchio, is located here as one of the city’s most important buildings.
Among the square’s many statues, you can see Michelangelo’s world-famous work David, which is, however, a copy from 1873. The original, however, is preserved in the city and can be seen at the Accademia gallery. In 1554, Cellini produced the bronze statue of Perseus defeating Medusa. It stands in the square by the Loggia dei Lanzi, which was built in 1382. The fountain in the middle of the square is of the sea god Neptune. It was erected in 1575 in honor of Tuscany’s victories at sea.
Florence’s Republic Square is historic for Italy as it was conceived during the time when Florence was the capital of Italy. The place is also where the city’s Forum was located during the Roman Empire.
With that background, the square had to be impressive, and for this purpose, a number of old buildings on the site were renovated. It was primarily in the period 1885-1895 that the current appearance was created. The dominant building is the large triumphal arch to the west. Otherwise, you can visit a few well-known cafes on the square, such as Caffè Gilli to the north.
You will find the famous Cappella Brancacci in the 13th century church of Santa Maria del Carmine. It is a chapel known for its masterpiece of a Renaissance fresco from 1424-1480. The work is primarily Masaccio’s, and his work was later studied by and acted as inspiration for great artists such as Michelangelo.
The chapel and thus the frescoes were initiated by the merchant Felice Brancacci. The beautiful place consists of twelve frescoes, which together form a line that goes from the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise to the release of Peter.
The small, elegant fort Belvedere was built by the Medici Duke Ferdinando I in 1590-1595. The location was well chosen, as the entire city can be monitored and thereby controlled from here. It could also serve as a safe place for the Medici family if needed.
The fort was used by the Italian military until 1951, and in 1955, after restoration, it was opened to the public. Today, various exhibitions are organized here, and it is also known by the name of Forte di San Giorgio.
Porta San Niccolò is the only well-preserved of the city’s original city gates, which were built so that at the same time they formed tall defensive towers. Porta San Niccolò was built 1324-1327.
Today, the gate stands as a stand-alone tower, and it can therefore be difficult to form an impression of its purpose. Originally, the gate was integrated into the city wall that crossed the river Arno here, and thereby the tower, together with a tower on the opposite bank of the river, formed the city’s defenses to the east.
On the inside of the tower you can see the floors used by the guards. There is also a fresco of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus as well as John the Baptist and Saint Nicholas of Bari.
Pisa is one of the old Italian city-states, which today offers fantastic sights and a lovely atmosphere. The city is one of the great cultural cities in Tuscany and lies beautifully along the banks of the river Arno close to the estuary in the Ligurian Sea. The most famous work is The Leaning Tower.
A trip to Pisa is, however, much more than an encounter with the Leaning Tower. It’s also strolling in a beautiful city center with a wealth of highlights. The city’s magnificent buildings were created on an economic boom that came with the city’s naval dominance in the western Mediterranean throughout the 1000s and 1300s, and this is enjoyed today.
The city of Livorno is located on the coast of Tuscany on the Ligurian Sea. It was founded in 1017 as a minor fort that was part of Pisa’s defenses. Throughout history, Livorno grew; among other things under the rule of the medics and due to a long period as a free port. Livorno’s economic importance also declined when the city and Tuscany became part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1868, as the free trade status disappeared. During the Second World War, the city was also heavily destroyed.
Today, Livorno is a frequently used cruise port, and as a visitor there is a maritime atmosphere, a cozy town center with a relaxed atmosphere and attractions such as the New Fort/Fortezza Nuova. Fortezza Nuova (Via degli Scali della Fortezza) was built during the Medici period, and it protected the city and the area from e.g. pirates. It offers, among other things, the Capitana, Ampolletta and Canaviglia bastions.
Siena is a city with countless sights and cultural treasures, and at the same time the city is considered the wine capital of Tuscany. That way, you are never far from the nearest winery or for some tasty breaks in the city. Among the well-known wines from here is Chianti, which can be enjoyed hand in hand with the city’s atmosphere in the many old cozy streets.
Piazza del Campo is a beautiful square that forms the old center of Siena. The square is dominated by the city’s famous town hall, Palazzo Pubblico, which was built in an almost castle-like architecture in the years 1297-1310. It contains several distinguished halls from the Middle Ages, and there is a museum, the Museo Civico, where you can see paintings by great artists from Siena.
The village of Vinci is Leonardo da Vinci’s hometown. Vinci is very picturesquely located and with a fine view of the Tuscan countryside. The city’s castle was built around the period from the year 1000 to the 1300s, and it is now set up as a museum for Leonardo da Vinci.
The museum is the natural starting point for taking a closer look at da Vinci’s life and works, but there are several other places where you can take a closer look at events in his life. In the church of Santo Stefano stands the baptismal font where he was baptized, and a few kilometers from the city is his birthplace, Casa di Leonardo (Anchiano).
The 61 km2 mini-republic of San Marino is breathtakingly located on and around the mountain peak Titano at 749 meters in height. The main attraction is the city of San Marino, with its labyrinthine streets surrounded by medieval defensive walls. The trip here is usually along the main road from Rimini, and all the way from the border to the city of San Marino there are settlements; if you take side roads, however, you quickly come out into the countryside.
On a visit to the city and the countryside, all you have to do is explore, and in the well-arranged city you can easily get around to all the sights, which include the three towers on the crest of the mountain, Guaita, Cesta and Montale. The city’s cathedral and the medieval Palazzo Pubblico are also must-sees. You should also give yourself time to enjoy the fantastic view of the country, the countryside and the Adriatic Sea.
Bologna is the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region and it is one of Italy’s major cultural cities with its own special vibe under the arcades for which the city is so famous, they are all over the city center. Street after street you can walk in archways; for example to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca church, where there are 666 arches on the way.
Bologna has nurtured great artists through time, and is home to Europe’s oldest university. The campus houses a special atmosphere in the city and is host of interesting museums – all within walking distance of the cozy inner city.
Via Calzaiuoli 56
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Piazza della Repubblica 2
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Via Artina 63
Piazza della Signoria, Via de Calzaiuoli, Ponte Vecchio, Via Maggio, Via dei Tornabuoni, Via della Vigna Nuova
Acquavillage Cecina
Via Tevere 25, Cecina Mare, 110 km SW
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La Specola
Via Romana 17
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Parco Preistorico
Via dei Cappuccini 20, Peccioli, 70 km W
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Pistoia Zoo
Via Pieve a Celle 160/a, Pistoia, 40 km NW
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The history of Florence as an actual city started in the year 59 BC. with the Roman Empire’s establishment of Florentia as a garrison colony. However, there were former settlements in the area, including the Etruscan Fiesole.
Florentia was built on the river Arno according to Roman pattern with a right-angled street network. Defenses were built in the form of city walls, and the city’s central square was the Roman Forum, which over time has become the current Piazza del Repubblica.
The city grew rapidly thanks to its convenient location for transport and trade, and within a short time it had taken over Arezzo’s position as the leading Roman city in the area.
From the 400’s battles between Goths and Byzantines, a decline period began for Florentia. After resisting several attacks, the city was slowly depopulated and at one time fewer than 1,000 citizens remained.
The Germanic longobards conquered northern and central Italy in the 500s, and with it Florentia came close to the border with the Byzantines of eastern Italy, which maintained a favorable position through the city on the trade road towards Rome.
Against the 8th century, Florentia was again subject to Rome, thereby gaining new wind. Several large buildings were founded and new city walls were erected – this time to protect against possible Hungarian attacks.
Florentia came to be called Florence, and its power and significance increased significantly in the 11th century, when the city of Lucca’s role as administrative center lapsed. This happened when the Count Count Hugo of Tuscia moved his residence to the city.
In 1055, the emperor, the pope and 120 bishops met in Florence, which was an acknowledgment and emphasis of the city’s significant position in the kingdom.
Towards the end of the 1100s, many of the city’s large and now famous buildings were founded, including the forerunner of today’s Cathedral, Santa Reparata, and the distinguished baptismal chapel that sits in front of the cathedral. Before them, the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte had been founded in 1013.
In 1125, Henry V died as the last emperor of the Frankish dynasty, and it became for Florence the beginning of a new era. Florence attacked the neighboring town, the old Fiesole, and united the two cities of the Florence municipality, mentioned for the first time in 1138. This year Florence was part of the association of Tuscan cities.
The city’s enterprising merchants created a steady rise in prosperity, however, which was temporarily slowed by the ravages of Frederick Barbarossa in the area towards the end of the century.
The 13th century was dominated by the battles between the Pope Believers and the Imperial Believers. In 1250, the Guelphs formed government, and much of Florence’s aristocracy was deprived of its power. In addition, there were internal strife between the ruling Guelphs; they were thus divided into so-called black and white factions under the leadership of Corso Doanti and Vieri de ‘Cerchi respectively. The discrepancy led to the exile of the White Guelphs, among whom, among others, Dante Alighieri belonged.
However, the fighting did not lead to a decline in Florence’s prosperity. By 1252, the Florin had been introduced as a golden currency, and it helped cement the city’s position as an economic leader in the region and in Europe. The Florin was the first currency in centuries to be minted in a number that enabled commercial use far beyond the city limits.
Florence set up banks in many places, such as in the rich Flemish trading town of Bruges, which was one of the dominant in Northern Europe. This made Florin the most widely used currency in Western Europe.
The late 13th century was also the downturn of Florence’s rival to the west; the city of Pisa. In 1284 it was defeated by Genoa, enabling Florence to develop further.
By the mid-1300s, Florence’s population had grown to around 80,000, and it was in every way a factor of power in the area. One of the major employers was the wool industry, which is believed to have had 25,000 employees. It was a rich Florence that was therefore affected, but not destroyed by the plague that ravaged the city in 1348.
From 1328, Florence became a city republic governed by a council of merchants and bankers. However, there were periods of riots from the other citizens of the city, and they also occasionally participated in the city council. A complex electoral system was established that took into account the city’s representation, and it excluded, among other things, that families had several members of the city government; it was called signoria.
The Medici family gained significant influence and later power from the late 1300s, and with it started Florence’s great cultural recovery. Cosimo de Medici started as the patron of Brunelleschi and Donatello, and Cosimo’s grandson, Lorenzo, continued the great support of arts and culture. In his time, the city fostered big names in many arts. Leonoardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were just some of those financially financed by the Medici family.
After Lorenzo’s death in 1492, Piero took over the reigns of medicine, but two years later French Charles VIII invaded Tuscany on the road to the claim of the Neapolitan throne. Piero entered into an agreement with Charles VIII, which led Florence to send him into exile and restore a Republican regime.
However, after a strategically good marriage in the family, the family returned to power in the early 1500s only to be exiled again in 1527, when the city for the second time created a republic. However, the time without the drugs would not last, and they would soon be in power again.
For ten months in the years 1529-1530, the Spaniards besieged Florence. One of the results was the end of Republican Florence, and the Medici family regained dominion over the city with Alessandro de Medici. Other consequences, for example, were confiscation of some of the citizens’ fortunes.
With the approval of both the pope and the German-Roman emperor, in 1537, the media became dukes of Florence with a succession. In 1569 they were made grand dukes of Tuscany.
The Medici family maintained control of Florence until 1737, when the line of succession became extinct. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany thus transferred to the Lorraine dynasty. However, the period of ever-increasing prosperity continued unabated and the city was still one of the absolute leaders in the Italian peninsula. With the dynasty of Lorraine Florence and Tuscany became part of the Austrian Empire.
Tuscany joined the new, united Italy in 1861, and in 1865 Florence became the capital of the kingdom; a status the city took over from Turin. However, this special status lasted only until 1871, when French troops left Rome, enabling Italy to join Italy and were elected as the capital of the Tuscan capital.
In the years of 1865, a number of medieval houses were demolished to make way for larger squares and wider streets to give the city a more stately feel. These include the historic center of Roman Florentia, Piazza della Repubblica, where a large arch of triumph was built.
The 19th century had given rise to growth in the city, and over the century its population had doubled. It was a development that, together with, for example, tourism, continued throughout the following century.
Florence’s population continued to rise in the new century, and the number tripled through the 20th century. Not least, tourism has developed rapidly with a lot of activity and many jobs.
During World War II, Florence was quite damaged and yet spared close-knit street fighting, after one year German troops withdrew in 1944.
The city was open to Allied forces, but to slow the advancing Englishmen, the Germans blew all the bridges across the river into the air. Only the old Ponte Vecchio was spared; reportedly by Adolf Hitler himself, who found it too beautiful to destroy. After the end of the war, reconstruction work was started, and the original stone was often used as far as possible for the exact restorations.
In 1966, a major flood hit the city, and countless works of art and buildings had to be restored in the lovely and atmospheric city, which is the setting of unique experiences for all visitors every year.
Florence Firenze, Italy[/caption]
Overview of Florence Firenze
Florence and surrounding Tuscany are at the top of many travelers bucket lists of places to see in Italy and the World, and for good reason. The landscape is picturesque and with the many cultural cities, loads of great sights and activities await. Florence is the top of Tuscany sights with all its splendor and countless beautiful churches, palaces and more.
The city, with all its marble, offers plenty of things to do. Among the most famous places to visit are the magnificent cathedral of the city and its baptismal chapel. Palazzo Pitti with the impressive Boboli Gardens, the unique bridge of Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery’s distinguished collections and the area around the Republic Square are good choices as well.
About the Whitehorse travel guide
Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
Published: Released soon
Author: Stig Albeck
Publisher: Vamados.com
Language: English
About the travel guide
The Whitehorse travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the Canadian city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.
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The Romanesque church of San Miniato al Monte is considered one of Tuscany’s finest in its style. It was erected very beautifully at the top of a large staircase at one of the highest points in the city.
The church was built from 1013, and over the following centuries the complex was built upon. The elegant facade in white and green marble was begun in 1090, while the church tower dates from 1523. However, it replaced the earlier one, which had collapsed in 1499.
Inside, the church is beautifully and differently built than so many others. The choir was built on a raised platform between the tall columns under the wooden roof. The floor mosaic was laid in 1207, and in addition there are a number of chapels and frescoes that are worth seeing.
The beautiful Medici Riccardi mansion is one of Florence’s finest privately built Renaissance buildings. It was designed by Michelozzo, who also built the house for Cosimo de Medici in the years 1445-1460.
The mansion contains a fine Italian courtyard, which was inspired by former monastery buildings. However, the most famous is the Magi chapel/Cappella dei Magi, where you can see the frescoes of the master Benozzo Gozzoli from 1459-1461.
The Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of Florence’s largest church buildings, and it is also one of the city’s oldest churches. The original parts of the basilica date from 393, when it was consecrated as the city’s cathedral. This status later passed to Santa Reparata, which stood on the site of the current cathedral.
The church was later rebuilt over several rounds, the most extensive was from 1419, when the Medici family wanted to finance a new church. The first and most important architect was Filippo Brunelleschi. The new and current church is decorated with a dome and is considered a good example of the early Renaissance.
Inside the basilica itself, there are many works by, among others, Donatello and Bronzino. The building is part of a larger monastic building complex, and next to it are the Old Sacristy/Sagrestia Vecchia and the New Sacristy/Sagrestia Nuova, which were built by Brunelleschi and Michelangelo respectively. The New Sacristy houses the tombs of the Medici family and is better known as the Medici Chapel (Piazza degli Aldobrandini).
In the monastery complex, you can also see the Laurentian Library/Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, which was designed by Michelangelo for the Medici family’s extensive book and manuscript collection.
Florence’s central market is a building that was built during the so-called Risanamento era at the end of the 1800s. Florence was the capital of Italy for a time, and on that occasion many new and modern institutions were built, including the Mercato Central.
The then modern market building was built by the man behind the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, and in the construction, cast iron was used in the large hall, in which mainly food is still traded.
Stazione di Santa Maria Novella is a railway station that stands in architectural contrast to the neighboring building, the ancient Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. Florence’s railway station is considered one of the great works of Italian modernism.
The railway station was designed in 1932 by several architects of the Gruppo Toscano, and Benito Mussolini’s approval of the project was seen as the blue stamp for the new modernist architecture that characterized Italian public buildings throughout the 1930s.
Basilica della Santissima Annunziata is a basilica founded in 1250. It is considered to be one of Florence’s most important church buildings. The facade is not from the original church, but rather the result of a change from 1601. The facade was built to harmonize with the facade of the Hospital of the Innocents, which is also located in Annunziata Square.
The basilica is visited by many pilgrims who come to see the portrait of the Virgin Mary, which is said to have been finished by an angel while the artist slept. The special portrait is now kept in a purpose-built place from 1481.
Inside the church itself, you can see a baroque interior that was begun in 1644. The large rotunda is older, as it was built by Michelozzo and Alberti in the period 1444-1476. By the basilica there are some associated monastic buildings, and they contain, among other things, beautiful frescoes by Andrea del Sarto.
Piazzale Michelangelo is a square in Bologna that Giuseppe Poggi laid out in 1869. After walking or driving up to the square, you are rewarded with a fabulous view of Florence that should be experienced during a visit to the city.
At one’s feet are all the city’s famous buildings and the Arno river with the Ponte Vecchio as a panoramic view. In the evening it is also a special sight with all the illumination of the city. Copies of Michelangelo’s David and the four sculptures from the Medici family’s tomb monument are also displayed in the square.
Florence’s archaeological museum was founded on the Medici family’s collection and later expanded through, among other things, a Franco-Tuscan trip to Egypt in the 1820s and the works of other keen collectors.
The collection particularly depicts Etruscan art and civilization, but you can also see Greek, Roman and Egyptian finds. One of the most noteworthy objects is the Etruscan Francois vase, dating from 570 BC. The museum building is a former residence palace that was built in 1620 by the architect Giulio Parigi as a residence for Maria de Medici.
The square Piazza della Signoria has been the center of Florence’s political and social life since around the year 1300. With its great importance, it has been richly decorated with not least statues. In addition, the city’s town hall, Palazzo Vecchio, is located here as one of the city’s most important buildings.
Among the square’s many statues, you can see Michelangelo’s world-famous work David, which is, however, a copy from 1873. The original, however, is preserved in the city and can be seen at the Accademia gallery. In 1554, Cellini produced the bronze statue of Perseus defeating Medusa. It stands in the square by the Loggia dei Lanzi, which was built in 1382. The fountain in the middle of the square is of the sea god Neptune. It was erected in 1575 in honor of Tuscany’s victories at sea.
Florence’s Republic Square is historic for Italy as it was conceived during the time when Florence was the capital of Italy. The place is also where the city’s Forum was located during the Roman Empire.
With that background, the square had to be impressive, and for this purpose, a number of old buildings on the site were renovated. It was primarily in the period 1885-1895 that the current appearance was created. The dominant building is the large triumphal arch to the west. Otherwise, you can visit a few well-known cafes on the square, such as Caffè Gilli to the north.
You will find the famous Cappella Brancacci in the 13th century church of Santa Maria del Carmine. It is a chapel known for its masterpiece of a Renaissance fresco from 1424-1480. The work is primarily Masaccio’s, and his work was later studied by and acted as inspiration for great artists such as Michelangelo.
The chapel and thus the frescoes were initiated by the merchant Felice Brancacci. The beautiful place consists of twelve frescoes, which together form a line that goes from the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise to the release of Peter.
The small, elegant fort Belvedere was built by the Medici Duke Ferdinando I in 1590-1595. The location was well chosen, as the entire city can be monitored and thereby controlled from here. It could also serve as a safe place for the Medici family if needed.
The fort was used by the Italian military until 1951, and in 1955, after restoration, it was opened to the public. Today, various exhibitions are organized here, and it is also known by the name of Forte di San Giorgio.
Porta San Niccolò is the only well-preserved of the city’s original city gates, which were built so that at the same time they formed tall defensive towers. Porta San Niccolò was built 1324-1327.
Today, the gate stands as a stand-alone tower, and it can therefore be difficult to form an impression of its purpose. Originally, the gate was integrated into the city wall that crossed the river Arno here, and thereby the tower, together with a tower on the opposite bank of the river, formed the city’s defenses to the east.
On the inside of the tower you can see the floors used by the guards. There is also a fresco of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus as well as John the Baptist and Saint Nicholas of Bari.
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