Pops’ Italy Travel Guide, Florence

We can thank the Medici family for making Florence the center of finance and art and for being the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Today it is also known as one of the top fifty fashion capitals in the world. The historic center of the city is visited by millions each year. Florence is also the capital of Tuscany.

Florence is known as the "cradle of the Renaissance" for its monuments, churches and buildings. The best-known site of Florence is the domed cathedral of the city, Santa Maria del Fiore, known as The Duomo. The dome, 600 years after its completion, is still the largest dome built in brick and mortar in the world. In 1982, the historic center of Florence was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. The center of the city is contained in medieval walls that were built in the 14th century to defend the city. At the heart of the city, in Piazza della Signoria, is Bartolomeo Ammanati’s Fountain of Neptune (1563–1565), which is a masterpiece of marble sculpture at the end of a still-functioning Roman aqueduct. One of the bridges over the river Arno in particular stands out – the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), whose most striking feature is the many shops built upon its edges, held up by stilts. The bridge also carries Vasari’s elevated corridor linking the Uffizi to the Medici residence. Although the original bridge was constructed by the Etruscans, the current bridge was rebuilt in the 14th century. It is the only bridge in the city to have survived World War II intact. It is the first example in the western world of a bridge built using segmental arches, that is, arches less than a semicircle, to reduce both span-to-rise ratio and the numbers of pillars.

The Uffizi is located at the corner of Piazza della Signoria, a site important for being the center of Florence's civil life and government for centuries. It is now a museum and one of the must see attractions in Florence. Many significant episodes in the history of art and political changes were staged here, such as:

In 1301, Dante was sent into exile from here (commemorated by a plaque on one of the walls of the Uffizi).

On 26 April 1478, Jacopo de' Pazzi and his retainers tried to raise the city against the Medici after the plot known as The congiura dei Pazzi , murdering Giuliano di Piero de’ Medici and wounding his brother Lorenzo. All the members of the plot who could be apprehended were seized by the Florentines and hanged from the windows of the palace.

In 1497, it was the location of the Bonfire of the Vanities instigated by the Dominican friar and preacher Girolamo Savonarola.

On 23 May 1498, the same Savonarola and two followers were hanged and burnt at the stake. (A round plate in the ground marks the spot where he was hanged)

In 1504, Michelangelo’s David (now replaced by a replica, since the original was moved in 1873 to the Galleria dell’ Accademia) was installed in front of the Palazzo della Signoria (also known as Palazzo Vecchio).

The Piazza della Signoria is the location of a number of statues by other sculptors such as Donatello, Giambologna, Ammannati and Cellini, although some have been replaced with copies to preserve the originals.

If you see any museums in Florence the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery are a must see. Besides the statue of David you will see other great works of art such as Botticelli’s Venus and works of art and science by Leonardo da Vinci.

We mostly enjoyed the Uffizi, Accademia, Duomo and walking the streets of the historic center city. The square outside the Uffizi is a perfect place to rest and enjoy a drink and something to eat. We were told that the best gelato comes from Florence. I don’t know if that is true but it sure tasted good.

I have three important tips to make your trip to Florence more enjoyable.

Purchase your museum tickets well ahead of time. Just like the Vatican Museum, you can purchase your tickets for a day and time. Otherwise you may spend hours in line waiting to get in.

If you are driving yourself don’t even try and drive in the historic center of the city. You need a special permit to do so and if caught without one the fine is pretty high. We left our car at the hotel and taxied in.  

Florence is in Tuscany; if you like wine then you will be in heaven. Enjoy the wine and food.