Firenze
Florence is world-famous as one of the cradles of art and architecture and it is one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Thanks to its huge artistic value it has been elected a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the old town centre of the city you can still breath the atmosphere of former times, taste the flavours and notice the aromas of the genuine products of the past, as well as discover the poetry of the great poets and writers who repeatedly quoted Florence in their works.
It is impossible to express what Florence is in a few lines: the city represents the basis of the perception of style, art and history of whole Italy. It is possible to quote only some of the countless works that the city contains, as it is possible to mention only a few of the countless places of tourist interest. Simply we propose you some names:
Piazza della Signoria
Heart of the medieval city, it contains Palazzo Vecchio and it is the main seat of the social life of the city. It is near Ponte Vecchio and from here you can easily reach the most important basilicas of the city.
Ponte Vecchio
Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge in Florence, the only survivor of the Second World War. Destination of thousands of tourists every day, Ponte Vecchio contains antique shops of goldsmiths and silversmiths. The crossing is particularly pleasant thanks to the charming and romantic view.
Palazzo Vecchio
Palazzo Vecchio was the seat of the Medici family. Then, from 1865 to 1871, it was the seat of the Italian Parliament. Nowadays it is largely a museum, besides containing the Offices of the Municipality. The image of Palazzo Vecchio, together with Torre di Arnolfo, is perhaps the widely used and known icon to represent the city.
Palazzo Pitti
Near Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti rises. It was completed in 1457 at the behest of the family having the same name. Later it became the residence of the Medici family and today it is seat of important museums, such as: Galleria Palatina, Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Museo degli Argenti, Galleria del Costume, Museo delle Porcellane and Museo delle Carrozze.
The Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi Gallery represents the first destination that each tourist places in his own programme of visit. The 16th-century palace was built by Giorgio Vasari according to Cosimo I de Medici’s will. Unmissable destination for eveyone, inside there are collections of paintings and works realized by the greatest world masters and artists of every time as Michelangelo, Leonardo, Caravaggio, Raffaello, Botticelli.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the Baptistery of San Giovanni
The Cathedral of Florence was built on the ancient foundations of the Santa Reparata Church in 1296 by Arnolfo di Cambio. It was later continued by Giotto, starting from 1334 until his death in 1337. Francesco Talenti and Giovanni di Lapo Ghini continued it in 1357. In 1412 the new cathedral was dedicated to Santa Maria del Fiore and consecrated on 25th March 1436 at the end of the works of Brunelleschi's dome. The Baptistery is placed between Piazza del Duomo and Piazza San Giovanni, in the religious centre of the city. The main façade of the octagonal building faces the Cathedral, while the apse faces West. It has an octagonal plan, with a diametre equal to about the half of the dome of the Cathedral. The necessity of a so large-sized building was due to the need to accommodate a large number of people: at that time it was possible to receive the baptism in just two days of the year.
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Photo Source: Wikipedia