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Browsing Florence
Badia Fiorentina
The Badia bell tower is one of the main reference points in the panorama of the city. Under restoration for some time now, the Badia is part of the monastery which was the home of the Benedettini. It was founded in 978 by the mother of a famous Florentine figure, Count Hugo of Tuscany. The Pandolfini chapel, which is in front of the 15th century atrium, was restructured on the remains of the previous smaller church of S. Stefano. There are lectures of Dante given here in memory of the first public reading by Giovanni Boccaccio of Dante's "Divine Comedy" which happened in 1373. Inside the Badia, there are two works in particular which should be noted: the marble tomb of the Marquis Hugo of Tuscany (which was made by Mino of Fiesole), and the "Apparition of the Madonna to St.Bernard" by Filippino Lippi.
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Battistero
Although the Baptistery's precise origins remain unclear, its foundations are known to date back to Roman times. The central doors are stunning works of art, depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament and they have been called “The Gates of Paradise.” Lorenzo Ghiberti who worked on them from 1403 to 1424 designed these ornate doors. Inside, the octagonal structure is richly decorated with Roman columns and gilded column heads. The floor's marble inlay features Islamic-style patterns and the apse is decorated with 13th-century mosaics. Coppo di Marcovaldo and Cimabue were among those involved in the cupola's decorative mosaic work.
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Biblioteca Laurenziana
The library was founded by Cosimo the Elder, of the Medici family, and greatly expanded under his son Piero and his grandson Lorenzo (the Magnificent). After several incidents (including the whole collection being moved to Rome) it was a Medici pope, Clement VII, who commissioned Michaelangelo to design and build the current library. Works began in 1524 under the direction of Michelangelo, and were completed by his disciples including Giorgio Vasari and Bartolomeo Ammannati. The library vestibule, designed by Michelangelo, is considered one of the first examples of Mannerist architecture, and a precursor to the Baroque.
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Boboli Gardens
To escape the crowds and late summer heat on the Florentine tourist trail, head south of the river Arno to the calming and charming environs of the Boboli Gardens. This wonderful retreat was laid out by the Medici after they bought the Palazzo Pitti in 1549 and they were opened to the public in 1766. As well as formal gardens there are wilder groves of cypress and ilex and many fine statues. At the summit of the Forte di Belvedere there is an open area where you can sun yourself and relax whilst enjoying the stunning views of the city and Tuscan countryside.
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Campanile di Giotto
Designed by Giotto, the bell tower to the right of Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral was begun by the artist in 1334 but continued by Andrea Pisano (who modified part of the design) following Giotto's death in 1337. Francesco Talenti finally completed it in 1359. Originally the tower was linked to the Duomo via a passageway situated at the level of the first cornice but this was demolished before 1437. Reliefs carved on the side where the passageway once existed are later works by Luca della Robbia; Andrea Pisano's original stone reliefs can be seen in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The concepts of universal order and redemption are recurrent themes; hexagonal tiles on the tower's lower level (now replaced by copies) portray scenes from daily human life whilst diamond-shaped reliefs on the upper level illustrate more ethereal subjects in the form of the Planets, Virtue, Liberal Arts and the Sacraments. There's no lift, but climbing the 414 steps to the top of the 85m tower is well worth the effort!
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Cappella Brancacci
In 1423, Felice Brancacci, a wealthy Florentine businessman, commissioned two emerging painters, Masolino and Masaccio, to decorate the Brancacci family chapel inside the church of Santa Maria del Carmine. Masolino and Masaccio worked together on painting the walls of the chapel with frescoes over a number of years, but because of Masaccio's death in 1428 and of Felice Brancacci's exile in 1436, the chapel remained unfinished until 1480 when Filippo Lippi completed the frescoes. The result of Masaccio's, Masolino's, and Lippi's work (but especially that of Masaccio) is one of the Renaissance's most celebrated art treasures: the Life of St. Peter's fresco cycle.
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Cappelle Medicee
The Medici Chapels are historical labors that are as grand in their own way as are the pyramids of Egypt. Started in 1605, these shrines were under construction for centuries. Eighty five years earlier Michelangelo was tasked to design and build the New Sacristy from one of the Medici cardinals Giulio de' Medici, who is remember in history as Pope Clement VII. Typical of a spiritual leader he was obsessed with the here-after and the creation of these intricate chapels testifies to that. Of artistic note are actual charcoal sketches by Michelangelo's own hand.
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Casa Buonarroti
Acquired by the artist in 1508 it was enlarged and restructured by his grandson creating a sumptuous building which stands as a true monument to Michelangelo and to his work. The main episodes of the artist's life are illustrated in the magnificent rooms and two famous works of his youth stand out: the Battle of the Centaurs and the Madonna of the Scala. In the galleria, there is a collection of works which are in the planning stage, amongst them the fortifications of Florence and the frontage of San Lorenzo. Temporary exhibitions are also organized.
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Casa di Dante
This isn't actually Dante's house - it was built in 1910 to commemorate the poet who did live in this area. The house holds a museum of Dante relics (including various editions of the Divine Comedy), and some of the rooms are used for temporary exhibitions.
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Cenacolo di San Salvi
In the antique monastery of Vallombrosiani annexed to the church of S. Michele a S. Salvi, the Museum of the Last Supper of Andrea del Sarto was built. As well as giving access to the old refectory where the famous fresco by the painter is held, it also shows other works belonging to different eras and places. The Last Supper by Andrea di Sarto, whose painting is reminiscent of Raffaello's style, was painted around 1526-27, while the other frescoes of the same painter in the museum are earlier works.
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Certosa del Galluzzo
Both architecturally and artistically unique, this monastery commissioned in 1342 by Niccolò Acciaioli, viceroy of the Kingdom of Naples, was originally home to Carthusian monks. Today Cistercian monks (who have lived here since 1958) give visitors a guided tour of the complex's treasures. The tour winds its way through the monastery, taking in the Chiostrino dei Monaci e il Capitolo, a cloister featuring Albertinelli's 1506 work, "The Crucifixion." Other architectural works, completed in different periods, make up the Certosa complex. Free admission.
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Chiostro dello Scalzo
The cloister was called 'Scalzo' or 'Barefoot' because of the custom of carrying the cross with bare feet in the processions, observed by the Disciples of S. Giovanni Battista. Andrea del Sarto painted the fresco as did Franciabigio in his absence from 1518-19. It was painted from 1507 to 1526 with stories depicting the life of S. Giovanni Battista, the protector of the company.
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Cimitero degli Inglesi
This Protestant cemetery was built in 1828 in what was a quiet corner of the city. Today, however, the roads encircling the site have isolated the hill, and surrounded it by daily traffic. Some famous people are buried here, including Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the art historian Robert Davidson and Gian Pietro Vieusseux. It was closed in 1878, and another Protestant cemetery was built, the Cimitero degli Allori in Via Senese.
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Cimitero delle Porte Sante
This monumental cemetery was created in the second half of the 19th century, according to the taste of the time for revival architecture that employed neo-Gothic and neo-Renaissance overtones. These styles have been used on the tombs of important Florentine citizens, even in recent times. Amongst the citizens buried here are Giovanni Spadolini, Carlo Lorenzini, Giovanni Papini and the stylist Enrico Coveri. The cemetery, which was designed by Mariano Falcini, extends all along the side of the Basilica of San Miniato, inside the building created for the Grand Duke in the 16th century.
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Corridoio Vasariano
When Cosimo de Medici, Grand Duke of Florence, moved his residence from Palazzo della Signoria to Palazzo Pitti across the river, he needed to address the issue of his daily commute from home (Palazzo Pitti) to work (Palazzo della Signoria which at that point was known as the Palazzo Vecchio, or "The Old Palace"). The one-mile walk to Palazzo della Signoria was long and potentially dangerous for Cosimo, who was more than once the subject of assassination attempts. Cosimo asked his architect, Giorgio Vasari, to build an elevated skyway that went from Palazzo Pitti to Palazzo della Signoria, well above street level, so that he could go back and forth without being seen. In record time, Vasari built what came to be known as the Vasarian Corridor. Today, the Corridor is part of the Uffizi Gallery and it contains a collection of portraits from the Renaissance to the present time.
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Crocefissione del Perugino
Tucked away in the chapterhouse of the former convent, Santa Maria Maddalena de Pazzi, is the famous fresco by Perugia's favorite son, Pietro Perugino (born Piero di Cristoforo Vannucci). A master who contributed to the walls of the Sistine Chapel, he left the spotlight in Rome and returned to Umbria and became one of the founders of the Umbrian artist's school. His extraordinary "Crucifixion and Saints," painted in 1493, covers the entire wall, depicts the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist (among other important figures), and fully embodies Perugino's gentle and serene style. Aside from being one of the first to successfully utilize architectural elements in proportion to humans, the fresco's meticulously detailed background and brilliant, striking, and unforgettable colors seem to steal the scene away from the momentous event taking place. This is a masterpiece not to be missed.
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Cupola di Santa Maria del Fiore
The dome of Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the world's most famous monuments, a tremendous feat of engineering from the genius of Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi. The dome was commissioned to Filippo Brunelleschi after a public competition in 1401 and it occupied much of Brunelleschi's life. Today, the dome can be climbed via its 466 steps and provides a breathtaking view of the whole city of Florence.
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Fiesole
This small town, even older than Florence, is found to the north-east of the city and can be reached by public transport. It was founded in the Etruscan period but archaeological remains have also revealed that there was life here in the Bronze Age. In the main city square, Piazza Mino da Fiesole, are monuments of historic and artistic interest, such as the cathedral which was founded in the 11th century, restructured in following centuries and renovated in the 19th century. Other features include the Pretorio Palace, the town hall of Fiesole and the church of Santa Maria Primerana. Behind the Piazza Mino da Fiesole, is the archaeological area with the Roman theatre, Roman baths and the remains of Roman and Etruscan temples. Walking from Piazza Mino da Fiesole towards the highest hill in the city, you will come across the first Etruscan acropolis and the 14th-century convent of San Francesco. A splendid panoramic view of Florence can be enjoyed from this height which makes the tiring climb from the Piazza more than worthwhile.
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Galleria d'Arte Moderna
This collection of around 2000 works of art is situated on the second floor of the Palazzo Pitti. The Macchiaioli, the famous Tuscan group of the nineteenth century, are well represented here, with their pictures in which reality is represented through realistic personal expressions. The subjects of the paintings were principally inspired by nature and everyday life and these are expressed through spots of color and luminarist contrasts. At the head of the movement was Giovanni Fattori of whom there are numerous works exhibited, amongst which the ‘Rotonda Palmieri' and a whole series of landscapes and representations of Maremma life. The gallery also displays the work of living contemporary artists. Closed 2nd and 4th Su, and 1st, 3rd and 5th Mon of the month
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Galleria degli Uffizi
One of the world's most famous museums, this painting gallery was started by the Medici family in the 16th century as a private collection. This massive gallery contains works by some of the most famous artist of all time, including Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Caravaggio, and other masters of the Italian Middle Ages and Renaissance. Also worthy of mention are the extensive collections of French, German, Dutch, and Flemish masterpieces that are also on display here. While walking though the gallery, be sure to take notice of the Roman and Renaissance sculptures that line the corridors, as well as the ceilings that are decorated with beautiful frescoes in the 'Grotesque' style.
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Galleria del Costume
The Costume gallery is located in Palazzo Pitti's neoclassical villa, which can be reached through the Boboli gardens. The exhibition illustrates the evolution of fashion from the 16th century to around 1930 by showing a series of characteristic clothes for each period. Accessories and underwear are displayed in the showcases on the walls. The ballroom was used for displays on subjects which concerned fashion. The gallery is closed 2nd and 4th Su, and 1st, 3rd and 5th Mon of the month
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Galleria dell'Accademia
The Accademia Gallery is perhaps best-known for Michelangelo's David, removed after four centuries from Piazza Signoria, now exhibited in a specially constructed hall. Other works by Michelangelo include some of his "Slave" series and his sculpture of San Matteo. Also featured is an impressive collection of paintings from the 13th to 16th century. Among the gallery's most important works: a Sienese school Crucifix from the 13th century, 24 panels by Taddeo Gaddi representing scenes from the life of Christ and St Francis and Giovanni da Milano's Pietà.
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Galleria dello Spedale degli Innocenti
This building forms part of one of the most significant architectural complexes of the early fifteenth century in Florence. It was built by Filippo Brunelleschi and finished in 1457. It was intended that the hospital should care for abandoned children and provide them with a trade so that they could rejoin society. The initial structure, planned by Brunelleschi, included refectories, cloisters, dormitories and rooms for nurses and nannies; over time it was enlarged and frescoed with scenes documenting the work of the hospital and the patronage of the Medici. The gallery displays only a part of the outstanding gifts and collections which have been assembled over the centuries.
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Galleria Palatina
This exhibition retains the character of the original private quarters of this former palace - the numerous rooms not only display many prestigious works of art but are, in themselves, important within the realms of art history. For example, the music room is decorated and furnished in neo-classical style and the ceilings, which are frescoed and decorated with golden stucco, are one of the most important examples of Baroque art in Florence. The Room of Venus houses the famous Portrait of a lady, known as the "Bella", by Titian, and the Stufa room is entirely frescoed by Cortona. There is a magnificent collection of canvases from the 16th to the 18th century - the collection of works by Titian and Raffaello are particularly noteworthy as are the pictures by Rubens and Van Dyck.
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Giardino dell'Orticoltura
Situated between Via Vittorio Emanuele and Via Bolognese near the Ponte Rosso, these gardens created in 1859 are home to one of Florence's more unusual architectural treasures. Built by Giacomo Roster in 1879 for the Società Toscana di Orticoltura (the Tuscan Horticultural Society), this impressive steel and glass pavilion is used on a regular basis for gardening exhibitions. A modern fountain built in 1990 features in the pine tree-filled upper part of the gardens. Delightful.
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Loggia dei Lanzi
Also called the Loggia della Signoria, the Loggia was named the Loggia dei Lanzi when the Duke Alessandro de'Medici made it the camp of the Lanzichenecchi after the fall of the Florentine Republic. It was the Signoria which commissioned a great Loggia for public use in 1350. The job was started by Orcagna, but continued and finished by Benci di Cione and Francesco Talenti only in 1382. Made in Serena stone with acute pointed arches and bricks decorated by sculptures designed by Agnolo Gaddi, this taste for a clasical style is what characterises Florentine art of the time. Benvenuto Cellini's famous "Perseus" was installed under the Loggia, and in the central arch Giambologna's marble "Rape of the Sabine Women", which can be found next to "Hercules with the centaur Nessus" also in marble. The other statues at the back near to the walls came from the Medici villa in Rome.
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Loggia del Mercato Nuovo
Underneath the Loggia del Porcellino, the marble wheel can be found which commemorates the place where the carroccio was left, an emblem of the Florentine Republic. In medieval times it was used as a pillory for those who dared to dupe the merchants of the city. The Loggia was the work of G.B. del Tasso who built it in the middle of the 16th century as a market place for the sale of fabrics and objects of different kinds. Today the Loggia also houses a market, mainly for tourists. Leather bags, silk scarves, straw hats and other art and craft objects can be found there. The Porcellino is the boar which is part of the fountain on one side of the market. This bronze sculpture was made by Pietro Tacca at the beginning of the 17th century after a marble original of the Hellenistic period (on show at the Uffizi).
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Mercato Centrale
Architecturally, the Central Market was the largest structure built in Florence of steel and glass. Inside the building, a grid of aisles placed over two floors houses a lively food market still widely used by locals; outdoors, the San Lorenzo market is a seemingly interminable series of souvenir stalls which cater almost exclusively to tourists. Indoors, meat (cooked and raw), fish, deli meats, cheese, milk, fruits and vegetables can be bought. There are also some small eateries offering quick and hearty lunches. Outdoors, souvenirs of all sorts (postcards, local paper and leather crafts) as well as fashion (from leather jackets to leather bags to canvas shirts and T-shirts) are sold. Bargaining is a must in this market.
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Mercato delle Pulci
This small and affordable flea market was created in 1936 after the demolition of a series of decaying Medieval buildings made room for the square called Piazza dei Ciompi. The flea market is a series of stalls with outdoor tables where one can find antiques and interesting items, from wood and metal artifacts to old books and postcards.
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Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio
A smaller version of the more famous Central Market, the Sant'Ambrogio Market has an even more authentic look and feel, with the fruit and vegetable market outdoors, and the meat and fish market indoors (clothing, shoes, household accessories, and specialty items can also be found outdoors).
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Museo Archeologico
Like other collections, the Archaeological Museum has its origins in the collections of the Grand Dukes, both Medici and Forensi, whose works of art were initially, kept in the Uffizi galleries. The museum is divided into three sections: the topographical museum of Etruria, the Etrusco-Helletian-Roman Antiquarium and the Egyptian collection. The collection, which has Etruscan civilization at its heart, was begun by Cosimo the Old (15th Century), but was enlarged particularly by Cosimo I and in the 18th Century by Cardinal Leopold. The Egyptian section was created by Lorena and is mostly made up of archaeological finds which were recovered during a Franco-Tuscan expedition at the beginning of the 19th century. The Austrians increased the size of the Etruscan collection and it was studied in its entirety by their experts. The museum also contains glass, gems, Greek ceramics and a numismatic collection. In the garden, Etruscan tombs and funeral monuments are reconstructed.
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Museo Bardini
The building was constucted by an antiques dealer, Stefano Bardini, at the end of the 19th century and was left to the city council in 1922, together with his wide ranging collection. (sculptures, paintings, furniture, ceramics, tapestries, weapons, carpets, musical instruments, sarcophagi, tombstones, and funeral monuments.) The construction is unique in its use of doors, windows, and arches from churches or ruined villas and with Venetian and Tuscan wooden ceilings. As well as the Roman sarcophagi and column-heads there are sculptures by Della Robbia and works of art attributed to Donatello. One crypt-like room has a collection of tomb stones and funeral monuments in it. The collection of ancient musical instruments is also of note.
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Museo Botanico
The Botanical museum is one of the youngest museums of Florence. It was created by the wish of the Lorena through collaboration with the famous botanist, Filippo Parlatore. He contributed not only his private collection, but also made exchanges and international acquisitions which made the museum the richest of its kind in Italy and one of the most renowned in the world. Only a small part of this enormous collection is open to the public. It includes prize-winning vegetables, plant models, old herbariums and botanical manuscripts. The rare and valuable collection of wax models by Calamai and Tortori (before 1800) and a herbal code (painted at the end of the 15th century) are recommended. Next to the museum there is the "Garden of simple things", made from the old Medici vegetable garden created by Cosimo I and now one of the oldest in the world. Visits should be booked. Telephone: +39 55 275 7471
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Museo degli Argenti
Originally designed to be the Summer apartment of the Grand Duke, this gallery houses a highly prestigious collection of gold, enamels, cameos, crystals and stone workings which were originally collected by the Medici and the Lorena. Amongst the most significant pieces are the stone vases (which belonged to Lorenzo the Magnificent), German ivories from the 17th century, a vase made from lapis lazuli by Buonalenti and the jewels of the Salzburg Prince-Bishops. The Great room is painted with frescoes by Giovanni da San Giovanni which celebrate the marriage between Ferdinand II and Victoria of Rovere in 1634. The whole place reverberates with Medici history from the time of Lorenzo the Magnificent. Open on the 1st ,3rd, 5th Su and 2nd, 4th M of the month
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Museo dei Chiostri di Santa Maria Novella
The museum is contained in what once was the Dominican Convent of Santa Maria Novella. It is a collection of decorated rooms and cloisters, which offer a wonderful glimpse into Florentine religious art and artifacts in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
The most interesting part of the museum is the Green Cloister, which is entirely frescoed with Old Testament scenes, of which the most notable are the works of Paolo Uccello (the Drunkenness of Noah). Also, in the Chapel of the Spaniards, large Medieval frescoes celebrate the victories of the Dominican Order against heresy, the most famous being the Triumphant Church by Andrea di Bonaiuto. More »
Museo del Bargello
The building which contains the Bargello museum dates back to 1255. In the 16th century it became the residence of the Bargello (head of police) and doubled as a prison. Then halfway through the 19th century it was given to the National museum. A visit begins with the splendid courtyard and the ground floor room where some of Michelangelo's masterpieces are exhibited, including the bust of Brutus and the David-Apollo statue. There are several of the early works of Donatello on the first floor, amongst them statues of David in marble and of St George and David in bronze. Also here are terracottas, glazed by Luca della Robbia, of the Virgin Mary with Child. The museum bought some minor decorative art including ivories from the Roman and the Bizantine periods, medieval enamels, German and French goldmith's art and Renaissance jewellery. It also has an important collection of small bronzes and weapons. Open on the 2nd, 4th Sunday and 1st, 3rd, 5th Monday of the month
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Museo del Bigallo
This late-Gothic building was constructed in 1358 for a Florentine charity group, the Compagnia della Misericordia (Confraternity of Mercy), as a home for plague victims and orphaned or unwanted children. The museum that resides in the building today has a fine collection of 14th and 15th-century art, including two frescos on the life of St. Peter, painted by Ventura di Moro and Rossello di Jacopo Franchi. However, the most famous piece of art at the Bigallo Museum is the 1342 fresco by Bernardo Daddi, the Madonna della Misericordia (Madonna of Mercy), which is the earliest picture of Florence in existence. In this work, an ethereal Virgin is shown protecting some of modern-day Florence's most well-known attractions: the Baptistery, the (then-domeless) Duomo, and the (then-unfinished) Campanile.
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Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
This museum has been totally renovated and is located behind the Duomo. The museum shelters many works of art from the Duomo (cathedral), Campanile (bell tower) and Battistero (baptistry), such as the statue of Boniface VIII, the work of Arnolfo di Cambo, or Donatello's Saint John and Magdalene. The furnishings are also important, for example, the silver altar from the Battistero and the restored panels of the Door of Paradise.
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Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce
The Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce is housed within the same building that the Convent of Santa Croce once occupied. The two masterpieces contained in this museum are the Pazzi Chapel, one of Brunelleschi's most famous works and a symbol of Renaissance architecture; and Cimabue's Crucifix, the famous Medieval painting which once hung in the Basilica. Heavily damaged by the flood of November 1966, the crucifix is testament to the fragile nature of art and the importance of preservation and restoration work. Also of notice are frescos by Taddeo Gaddi and Orcagna which were rediscovered under the 16th century plaster, including Florence's oldest Last Supper.
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Museo dell'Opificio delle Pietre Dure
The museum connected to the opificio (meaning 'factory') contains the Medici collection of carved hard stone. At the beginning of the 19th century the opificio began restoring inlays, mosaics and subsequently sculptures, for which it is now widely renowned. The present site is where the Great Duke's workshops were set up when they were transferred to him from the Lorena at the end of the 18th century. Some of the most important pieces are the Florentine and Northern landscapes, the models and panels for the Chapel of the Princes and the 19th century tables which have been made with an extraordinary eye for detail.
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Museo delle Porcellane
Situated inside the Boboli gardens, this collection consists mainly of table porcelain used by the Grand Ducal and Royal households of the Medici, Lorena and Savoy families. The collection is divided by national origin and by manufacturer: Italian and French porcelain is displayed along with pieces from Doccia, the local Florentine factory. The collection of French porcelain from Sevres was brought to Florence from Savoy and part of it is a gift from Napoleon I to his sister Elisa Baiocchi who was the Duchess of Tuscany from 1809 to 1814. Open on the 1st, 3rd, 5th Sunday and 2nd, 4th Monday of the month
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Museo di Firenze Com'Era
The museum occupies the site of what used to be the convent of the Pious Sisters of the order of Oblates. The core exhibition, in the house of Buonarroti, obtained collections of drawings and paintings from the Uffizi and showed Florence when it was the capital of Italy. The transformation of Florence can be seen through its documentation in paintings, prints and plastics from the Renaissance to the end of the last century. The most important piece is the "Map of the succession", which is a large 19th century reproduction of a 1740 etching which showed Florence at the height of its Renaissance splendour. There are also views of Florence and lunettes which show the main Medici residences.
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Museo di Geologia e Paleontologia
This museum is the most important of its kind in Italy and gathers together some 300,000 examples of fossilized vertebrates, invertebrates and plants as well as rock samples. Visitors should also take note of the anthropoid monkey of the Maremma, the imprints of Mesozoic reptiles and the non-aviatory birds from New Zealand.
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Museo di Mineralogia e Litologia
It was Ferdinando II who employed a Dane, Niels Stensen, to integrate the Medici family's collections into one mineral collection. The Lorena family added to this, transforming it from a collection of objects to look at into a collection which could be studied, classified and compared. In the museum there are around 35,000 mineral samples. They are divided into five sections: the "General collection" (including a topaz of 151kg and nuggets of gold, platinum and diamond), the "Regional collection of Italy" (containing 5000 minerals from the Elba), the "Meteorites section" , the "Lithological section" and the "Carved Stones". Their value is more historical and aesthetic than mineralogical. Admission: Free.
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Museo di Palazzo Davanzati
The museum is found in a narrow and characteristic side-street which connects Piazza Santa Trinita with Via dei Calzaiuoli. The building is one of the most beautiful and best conserved of the 14th century. It was built halfway though the 14th century by the Davizzi family and was passed over to the Davanzati at the beginning of the 16th century where it remained until 1838. It then was divided up and it was only at the beginning of the 20th century that it was bought and restored to the style of the old Florentine building. This was due to the efforts of the new owners, the antiquarian Elia Volpi and Leopoldo Bengujat. The interior has three floors and all the areas of the building have the original fired brick flooring and wooden ceilings. Some of the painting is original and the walls have been frescoed to the taste of the typical 14th century Florentine house. The furniture and furnishings are from the 14th to the 19th centuries. The Nuptial room has 14th century frescoes and contains two shrines and a chest filled with linen from the period. They have tried to reconstruct the work which the women did around the house. In the kitchen there is not only the household equipment of their daily life, but also the work tools, for example, the loom and the spinning wheel. The area under the building is used for antiques exhibitions and has been the site of archaeological finds.
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Museo di Palazzo Vecchio
The palazzo's construction began in 1299 and it was enlarged repeatedly - in 1343, 1495 and lastly in the 16th century by Vasari and Buontalenti. It has been the symbol and the political centre of the city for centuries. The Great room of the Cinquecento stands out, the work of Cronaca, it was designed as a reception area and decorated with frescoes celebrating Florentine victories against the other Tuscan cities and with sculptures depicting the deeds of Hercules by De Rossi. On the upper floors the Quarters of the elements are noteworthy as are those of Eleanor of Toledo who was the wife of Cosimo I and to whom the little chapel by Bronzino is dedicated. The Gigli room and the Audience room, which has a marble entrance, are sumptuous. On the Mezzanine there is the Loeser collection of painted sculptures. It is recommended that you visit the upper balcony where you can enjoy a fabulous view of Florence.
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Museo di San Marco
This museum is situated in an old Dominican monastery, restored and enlarged by Michelozzo under the wishes of Cosimo the Old of the Medici family. A visit is divided between the perfectly conserved 15th century monastery and the museum which dedicates itself to Angelico. There is the famous Crucifixion which was painted in the Great room of the Capital and amongst the tableaux there are the early works of Angelico, notably the altar frontal with Universal judgment and the Deposition. The museum also has a fresco of the Last supper which was painted by Ghirlandaio at the end of the 15th century. It is possible to visit the simple cells where Savonarole lived and where Cosimo the Old retired to meditate. In the cells there are masterpieces like the Annunciation, the Transfiguration and the Crowning of the Virgin. In the library there are a series of finely drawn manuscripts, which were written inside the convent. Underneath the convent, there are precious relics, which were saved from 19th century destruction, as well as a fascinating collection of bells.
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Museo di Storia della Fotografia Fratelli Alinari
This museum was the first national institution dedicated exclusively to exhibiting photography. It keeps around 350,000 vintage prints, including those printed with albumen, bromide, on salted paper, calotypes, ambertypes and stereoscope. It unites the collections of Malandrini, Palazzoni, Zannier, Gabba and holds copies of the signatures of the greatest photographers of the 19th century including Alinari, Primoli, Peretti Griva and foreigners like MacPherson, Fenton and Von Gloeden. There are also many cameras, lenses and other objects from the history of photography including an impressive collection of both foreign and Italian photographic albums. The museum organises temporary exhibitions, normally in collaboration with the Alinari archives.
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Museo di Storia della Scienza
The heart of the collection centres on the natural, physical and mathematical sciences which so interested the Medici and Lorena Grand Dukes. It was thanks to Abbot Felice Fontana that the existing Museum of Physical and Natural sciences at the Palazzo Pitti was strengthened. In the 18th century the museum gained instruments from the Medici's old collection which until then had been stored in the Uffizi. One part of the museum is dedicated solely to the Medici collections, this includes the quadrants, astrolabes, sun dials, compasses and calipers and all the works of art which were created by the great craftsmen of Tuscany and Europe. The original instruments of Galileo are displayed, as are the thermometers of the Cimeno Academy (mid 17th century). One of the other wings is dedicated to mechanical, electrostatic and pneumatic instruments which were prevalent in the Lorena period. Other sections are devoted to medicine and show obstetric models made from wax and terracotta and a collection of surgical instruments.Admission: EUR 6. More »
Museo e Istituto Fiorentino di Preistoria
This collection brings together the Prehistoric remains of Florence. The time-line goes from the stone-age up to the dawn of the historic age and shows the various phases of human evolution, from subsistence economies to pastoral economies and metal working. Objects taken from these times include implements made of stone, bone, ceramics, weapons made of copper and bronze as well as human, animal and plant remains found during archaeological digs which have taken place in Italy and abroad since the 19th century. The museum exhibition goes in chronological order starting from the Palaeolithic and ending at the Iron Age. There are zones dedicated to Africa, Asia and the Americas. The museum is closed on Sundays.
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Museo Horne
This museum contains works of art by Herbert P. Horne (1864-1916) which he left to the Italian state together with the 15th century palazzo where he had collected them. The museum has kept the same order and style as the collector and it includes works of art, furniture and furnishings that give the house a lived-in quality. It is interesting to see the series of domestic objects: pocket mirrors, firedogs for the fireplace and other objects characterise the tastes of Horne and his search for refinement. There are also several 15th and 16th century paintings and a group of works from Florentine and Sienese artists.
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Museo Marino Marini
The museum, which can found in the deconsecrated church of San Pancrazio, contains around 180 works of art by Marino Marini, one of the major sculptors of the 20th century. There are sculptures, pictures, drawings and etchings which have been donated by the artist and his wife Marina. At the centre of the exhibition there is the Equestrian group of Aja(1957). Marino believed that light was important to understand his work and this has been taken into account in the museum environment. The museum is closed on Tu.
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Museo Salvatore Ferragamo
The museum can be found in the beautiful Spini Ferroni building. It contains thousands of shoes which are the evidence of what was produced by Ferragamo from 1927 until his death in 1960. Visits to the museum must be booked.
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Museo Stibbert
In the second half of the 19th century Federico Stibbert amassed a rich and varied collection of art in his villa on the Montughi hill. Passed on to the city of Florence in 1906, it consists of around 60 rooms of paintings, furniture and porcelain from around the world. The collection reflects Stibbert's passion for weapons and armour: an impressive variety of rare pieces document equipment and armaments from the 15th to the 17th century. The European armour stands out, but there are also Oriental, Persian, Indian, Islamic and Indonesian examples. The most impressive room is called the "Cavalcade" in which there are displays of numerous horses with riders in full dress.
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Museo Zoologico La Specola
The museum's oldest core collection, like all of the Florentine museums, comes from the Medici collections. The Medici collected many natural treasures like fossils, animals, minerals and exotic plants. It was Pietro Leopoldo of Lorena who acquired the buildings and who created the Natural History Museum complete with its own library. At present the museum is more of a research institute, exhibiting to the public only a small part of the collection with examples of taxidermy and the prestigious collection of anatomical wax works. The most important parts of this collection come from an exponent of Florentine wax working, Clemente Susini (1754-1814).
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Ognissanti
The Church was built in the middle of the thirteenth century and largely reconstructed during the Baroque period. Entering behind the third altar, notice the fresco by Sandro Botticelli of "St.Augustine in study" (1480) and, in the same partition, the second chapel. This belongs to the Vespucci family and contains frescos by Ghirlandaio as well as other frescoes in which one can recognise members of the same family, probably including Amerigo Vespucci. From the cloister next to the church it is possible to enter the Refectory where there is the exemplary fresco by Dominico Ghirlandaio of "The Last Supper." Service times: 9a 10:30a noon 6:30p Su.Refectory: 9a-noon M, Tu, Sa
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Orsanmichele
Compared to other religious buildings from the same period, this fourteenth-century church is somewhat unusual in design. Rectangular in shape, with two naves, it does look more like a grain store, which was in fact how it started out when first built by Francesco Talenti, Neri di Fioravente and Benci di Cione. After the previous grain store built in 1290 by Arnolfo di Cambio was destroyed, its replacement had to be built on a larger scale, enabling it to contain a marketplace. Arches were later closed off and the structure acquired two floors that were used for shops. At the end of the 15th century the building was converted into a church and became a powerful symbol for the city guilds, which met the cost of decorating the niches situated along the outside walls. For this they commissioned several of the most talented artists of the day to produce magnificent pieces of artwork, including Lorenzo Ghiberti, Donatello, Giambologna, Luca della Robbia and Verrochio. Of particular note are the copies of Donatello's statue of San Giorgio and bas-relief, whose originals are now in the Orto Botanico
The creation of the Giardino dei Semplici or Botanical Gardens (Orto Botanico), was ordered by Cosimo I de'Medici in the mid 16th century and planned by Niccolo Tribolo. It was one of the first of its kind in the world. The Gardens were planted by famous botanists, one of whom, Pier Antonio Micheli, made additions in the following century. Today the collection comprises 6000 plants of different kinds from all over the world.
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Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni
This 16th-century palazzo was one of the first examples of "Roman style" architecture which was brought to Florence by Baccio d'Agnolo. While the prevalent Florentine style of the time involved façades with rustication and plasterwork, between 1520 and 1523 Baccio d'Agnolo brought in an architectonic style using triangular tympana and columns typical of Roman classicism. This was not warmly received in Florence and in response to this the architect put an inscription in Latin on the façade. His family motto, used by the poet d'Annunzio, can instead be found above the entrance to via Porta Rossa: "per non dormire" (lest we sleep). The pictoral contrasts required by the stone facade have been revealed by recent restoration.
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Palazzo Medici Riccardi
This building was constructed between 1444 and 1460 by Michelozzo Michelozzi on the orders of Cosimo the Old. It represents the prototype of the Florentine renaissance style, characterised by mullioned windows of every size. Halfway through the 17th century it was sold to the Marchesi Riccardi family who enlarged it, adding the gallery which has characteristic Baroque frescoes by Luca Giordano. The Riccardi family held onto the palazzo until 1814 when it became the site of the Ministry of the Interior and, from 1871, the Prefecture. Inside there is a beautiful porticoed courtyard where there are many Roman remains gathered as well as various sculptures. The Chapel which was designed by Michelozzi is also noteworthy. There you will find frescos by Benozzo Bozzoli which show the journey of the Magi to Bethlehem (1459). Within them, there are various famous people of the period including Lorenzo the Magnificient and Galeazzo Maria Sforza.
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Palazzo Pitti
Halfway through the 15th century Luca Pitti entrusted Brunelleschi with a large building project in the Boboli hills. Work began in 1457 but was only completed after the middle of the 16th century by the Medici who chose it as their palace. The building was enlarged, the interior decorated luxuriously and the Boboli hills were landscaped into gardens. It then became the residence of the Lorena family who constructed, in the 18th century, two lateral wings with porticoes which came round either side of the central piazza. It was the residence of Vittorio Emanuele II when Florence was the capital. In 1919 it became state property and it became possible to visit the royal apartments, the Palatine gallery, the Silverware museum, the Gallery of Modern art, the Costume gallery (currently closed for restoration), the Porcelain museum, the Carriage museum (closed for restoration) and the Boboli gardens. Temporary exhibitions are shown in the White Room.
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Palazzo Rucellai
This palazzo is the model described in the refined 15th-century text by Giovan Battista Alberti, "De re aedificatoria". It was built in the Piazza of the same name where a Loggia with three wide arcades was built for Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai, the same person for whom Alberti built the façade of Santa Maria Novella. The architectural model demands a Renaissance reading. There are three classical orders on three levels, and there are symbols and family crests which commemorate the Rucellai family, such as diamonds, feathers and sails, which can also be found in Santa Maria Novella. Construction began in 1455 while the Loggia was erected between 1463 and 1466. Until a few years ago it was the site of the Archivio Alinari and on the first floor there was the Alinari Museum of Photography, which was transferred to Piazza Alinari.
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Palazzo Strozzi
This Palazzo was commissioned by Filippo Strozzi and the job was undertaken by Benedetto Da Maiano, who began work in 1489. He enlisted the help of Cronaca, who made the splendid jutting cornice in 1502, and who finished the large internal courtyard with porticos on all sides. Even though it was inhabited from 1504 the building was never fully completed, leaving the cornice and the southern facade unfinished. The rustication is present on three sides of the façade, which features many iron embellishments, including torch holders, hooks for horses or standard bearers. Some of these were substituted in the 19th century with exact copies of the designs by Benedetto da Maiano. Today the Palazzo is a famous site for temporary exhibitions which take place in the first floor rooms, while in other rooms accessible from the courtyard are based certain cultural organisations such as the Gabinetto Vieusseux, and the Instituto Nazionale di Studi sul Rinascimento.
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Palazzo Vecchio
The Palazzo Vecchio is the main complex in Piazza della Signoria. This is the quintessential Florentine building with its clock, its tower, and its ramparts. It is a symbol of the power, influence, and strength of the Medici family. In 1540, Cosimo I of the Medici family converted the palace into the residence of the Dukes of Florence. Later it was the seat of the provisional governments (1848-49 and 1859-60), and when Florence was the capital of Italy from 1865 to 1871, it housed the Chamber of Deputies and the Foreign Ministry. It has been the seat of the municipal authority since 1872.
Major attractions inside Palazzo Vecchio include Room of the Lilies, Elenora di Toledo's Rooms, the inner courtyard with the Putto Fountain, and Michelangelo's statue the Victory.
Palazzo Vecchio is connected with the Pitti Palace through the Vasari corridor which runs through the Uffizi and over Ponte Vecchio to the other side of the river Arno. The corridor was constructed by Vasari after the Medici family moved into the Pitti Palace. More »
Parco della Villa Medicea di Castello
The villa belonged to the Medici family and Cosimo, Florence's new Duke, began the work on renovating the grounds, he planned an Italian garden with geometric designs, Vasari made the Duke's dreams become reality. At the centre of the garden on the Fountain of Hercules and Anteus was placed a marble composition by Bartolomeo Ammannati, which is undergoing restoration. There are two lakes in the garden, with stone sculptures of animals, which stand out amongst the water displays. Today, the villa is the home of the Accademia della Crusca (set up to preserve and to study the "correct" form of the Italian language in 1583 and transferred here in 1974), and is not accessible to the public. Admission includes a visit to the Villa Medicea La Petraia. Admission: L.4000
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Parco delle Cascine
Spread over 118 hectares, this popular park is a favourite with joggers, horse riders and families with young children, especially on Sundays and Tuesday mornings, when it's Parco di Pinocchio
The author of Pinocchio Carlo Lorenzini (1826-90), who wrote under the nom de plume of Carlo Collodi, was from Florence. His mother was born here, and most of his formative years were spent here. Florence is therefore the site of the most famous theme park in Tuscany, which is inspired by the story of Pinocchio and in which scenes from the story have been re-created. It is a veritable paradise, but not just for children! Pinocchio's Park contains a variety of irresistible games and attractions for everyone. A monument to Pinocchio and the fairy by Emilio Greco was erected in the 1950s. At the same time, Venturini was involved in the construction of the beautiful little piazza of mosaics, through which one enters Toyland. This is an area where all the adventures of the wooden puppet have been depicted in sculpture, scenery and statues, made from various materials and interpreted by several different artists.
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Parco di Villa Demidoff
Nothing remains of the 16th-century Medicean villa built by Francesco I de' Medici. It was surrounded by an immense park, full of decorative buildings, including (towards the end of the 17th century) a repertory theatre ordered by Ferdinando de' Medici. However, with the passage of time, the villa was ruined, and it was demolished. The park was eventually reclaimed by Joseph Frietsch before being handed over to the Demidoff family in 1872. After having bought the Savoy property, they decided to construct a villa, which has remained standing to this day. All that remains of the re-named Medici estate which was famous for its wonderfully evocative scenery are a few building works carried out by Bernardo Buontalenti, who was responsible for the original project commissioned by Francesco I. The park, which now belongs to the Province of Florence, is a venue for cultural shows and exhibitions, and remains open from March until October. It includes a fine collection of sculptures. It is possible to book a free guided tour of the park in advance by calling the Centro Guido Tourismo on: +39 55 28 8448. Entry is prohibited to dogs. Admission: EUR3-4, free for children under 6 years; entrance free on Friday for school parties and senior citizens.
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Parco di Villa Stibbert
This beautiful open park belonged to the Stibbert family who owned the adjacent villa - now home to the Stibbert Museum. It was designed by Poggi in the Romantic style, in accordance with English tastes, and is spread out over three hectares. Distinctive features include an Egyptian temple facing a duck pond, as well as a Hellenistic temple beyond the lemon trees and the stables.
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Piazza D'Azeglio
This piazza was formed in the Mattonaia quarter of the city, inside the city walls, at the end of the 19th century as a result of the development plan devised by the architect Poggi in the 1870s. Once established, the bourgeoisie then considered the area both residential and desirable! The area then saw the creation of Prince Umberto's theatre - sadly destroyed two decades later. Another building appeared on the piazza at the beginning of the 20th century but today, this remains one of the few green spaces in the city centre. There are amusements for young children including a merry-go-round, slides and a wooden castle in a cordoned-off area; and there are also areas for older children such as a basketball pitch.
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Piazza della Repubblica
Florence's most central square is a hubbub of activity: from open-air cafes to street performers to fashion and bookstores--and even a children's carousel--this square offers entertainment and a place to relax. Aesthetically mediocre, the square was created in the late 19th century by destroying one of Florence's oldest Medieval neighborhoods, the "Mercato Vecchio." The monumental arch on the western side of the square was built to commemorate then king of Italy, Victor Emmanuel, in 1895.
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Piazza della Signoria
Piazza della Signoria has always been the political heart of the city. From book burnings to protests to executions to celebrations, nearly every major event in Florentine history has happened here or come through this square. Today, the political nature of the square continues: Florence's City Hall, housed in the Palazzo Vecchio, is located here. A great place to people-watch, the Piazza della Signoria is also a sculpture garden, filled with important statues that glorify the city of Florence.
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Piazzale Michelangelo
Renowned for its panoramic views of Florence and the Arno valley, this terrace is a popular spot with locals and tourists. Created as part of major restructuring of the city walls, Poggi's sumptuous terrace is typically 19th century. In 1871, Poggi designed a monument base dedicated to Michelangelo. The monument itself was to be composed of copies of Michelangelo's works, including David and the Medici chapel sculptures from Ponte Santa Trinita
Rebuilt several times (like all of Florence's bridges) after the most turbulent floods, the Santa Trinita bridge was finally rebuilt in 1557 by Bartolomeo Ammannati under commission of Grand Duke Cosimo I Medici. It is thought that Ammannati worked on original designs by his master, Michelangelo.
Destroyed by mines exploded by the retreating German army in 1944, the bridge was painstakingly rebuilt to its original form, using as much original stone taken from the river as possible. It is one of Europe's most elegant and famous bridges. More »
Ponte Vecchio
Best known of all Florence's treasures, this glorious bridge was the only one spared by the retreating Germans in the summer of 1944. Over the centuries flooding unfortunately, took its toll; few traces of the 10th century bridge remain. Today's bridge, built in the middle of the 14th century, was originally filled with a wide variety of shops that included wool merchants and greengrocers. Grand Duke Fernandino I had these replaced with goldsmiths to gentrify royalty's route to Porta Romana
Forming part of Florence's old 14th-century fortifications, of which there are still solid traces, the two walls spread out from the gate towards Piazza Tasso to the east and to the north-west along the Viali dei Colli. As with the Porta San Frediano, the two great, wooden bolted doors have been conserved. On the square opposite, towards the Poggio Imperiale, a statue by an important contemporary artist, Michelangelo Pistoletto, has been erected. Cast in marble and entitled "Dietrofronte", the statue depicts a woman whose imaginary movement southwards to leave the city is hindered by a heavy bundle on her head which points in the opposite direction towards the city centre.
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San Frediano in Cestello
The cupola of the Cestello stands out in the panorama of the Oltrarno and its bare, unfinished facade is visible from the bank on the other side of the Arno river. The church was built by the architect Cerutti at the end of the seventeenth century and completed with the cupola of Antonio M.Ferri. The church is planned in the shape of a Latin cross with a single nave upon which there are chapels decorated with stucco and frescoes from the eighteenth century.
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San Lorenzo
Encompassing the Biblioteca Laurenziana (Italy's most important library) and the Cappelle Medicee, this basilica is a testimony to the political power and patronage of the Medici family. Its origins date back to 393 when St. Ambrose consecrated it in memory of the martyrdom of St. Lawrence. Adorned with fabulous artwork, including the marble Altar of the Sacrament carved by Desiderio da Settignano, the basilica features major artists of the period, including Donatello, Verrocchio, Filippo Lippi and Brunelleschi.
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San Miniato al Monte
San Miniato is one of the city's most striking examples of Florentine Romanesque architecture, characterized by its bicoloured (white and green) marble façade. The altar, pulpit and transept recess feature fine marble décor, while the floor, in keeping with the Romanesque style, is decorated with symbolic ornamental motifs. Halfway along the nave on the left is another chapel, the ‘Cappella del cardinale Portogallo', which was designed by one of Brunelleschi's pupils, its architectural and decorative style resembles one of Brunelleschi's first creations, the ‘Sagrestia Vecchia' (Old Sacristy), which can be seen in Santa Croce
The building of Santa Croce basilica began in 1294. Giotto's frescoes in the chapels at the head of the transept are considered to be some of the finest examples of fourteenth-century painting, while the architect Matas is responsible for the church's distinctive green and white marble façade. The church contains funeral monuments to intellectual, moral and religious figures from Italy's past, including Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Gioacchino Rossini, Galileo and Ugo Foscolo. Although exiled from Florence and buried in Ravenna, Dante, father of the Italian language, is honoured with a cenotaph. Services: 8a, 9:30a, 11a, noon and 6p Sun. As of May 2005 the church of Santa Croce and the Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce have been combined into one entity for all tourist purposes. They are both open for visit during similar hours.
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Santa Felicita
The foundations of one of the city's oldest churches date back to the 4th century, when Christianity was in its infancy. Named after Roman martyr St Felicita, the church gradually took shape during the Romanesque period. In the first half of the 18th century Ferdinando Ruggieri made changes to the building, one of which was the inclusion in the structure of the Vasari Corridor that connected the Santa Maria del Fiore
As the city's skyline symbol, the legendary duomo is famous above all for its dome: Brunelleschi's Renaissance masterpiece, completed in 1436, created a double dome shell so that the dome is entirely self-supporting. Building started in 1296 on the site of the Roman basilica of Santa Reparata of which there are still visible remains. The existing neo-Gothic façade was added in the 19th century. Covering a massive 3600 square meters, the frescoes inside the dome depict the Last Judgement. Services: 7.30am, 9am, 10.30am, midday and 6pm Sunday.
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Santa Maria Novella
This church was built in 1278 by architects (Brother Sisto, and Brother Ristoro) who were part of the Dominican order, the work was carried on by Brothers Jacopo Talenti and Giovanni da Campi, and was constructed along Gothic lines. The church still bears evidence of the Gothic style in the lower part of the façade in its avelli (grave niches) with its pointed arches, which are clad in green and white marble these colours are to be found in the upper part of the façade elegant with its classical motifs, designed by Leon Battista Alberti in the 1470s at the request of Giovanni Rucellai. The left side of the façade which leads to the cloisters of S. Maria Novella. (an admission fee is charged). The most important and interesting objects of art are to be found in the chapels of the prized and famous families. The Rucellai chapel is on the right of the church, with a marble sculpture of Madonna and child by Nino Pisano. The Cappella Bardi is the second on the right and was the resting place of the famous Majesty Duccio da Boninsegna, which is in the room of the Uffizi. The chapel adjacent is that of Filippo Strozzi and is decorated with stories of S. Filippo by Filippino Lippi in the 1590s, and sculptures by Benedetto da Maiano. The chapel of Giovanni Tornabuoni has wonderful scenes of political and cultural life of the times with illustrious men, humanists and famous Florentines. The frescoes depict the life of the Madonna and Saint John the Baptist and were created by Domenico Ghirlandaio and other members of his family, together with Sebastiano Mainarda in 1485-90. After the cappella maggiore is the cappella Gondi with its wooden cross by Brunelleschi framed by Giuliano da Sangallo's architecture, and the capella Gaddi encrusted with stones and marble. The cappella Strozzi is to be found on the left side of the church and is decorated with 14th century frescoes of Heaven, Hell, and judgement day by Nardo di Cione, the brother of Orcagna, the author of the altar piece with Cristo risorto (Christ risen) 1347. The sacristy and its furnishings can be seen on the left side of the church as you descend the steps from the capella Strozzi, you can purchase books and religious objects from here. Finally, you can see the glorious fresco by Masaccio (circa 1427), can be found along the left side of the aisle, this is the fresco of the Madonna, saint John, the kneeling Lenzi couple.Open: 7a-11:30a,3:30p-6p M-Su Services: 8:30a, 10:30a, noon, 6p Su More »
Santa Reparata
Before the current Cathedral (Il Duomo) was constructed, the ancient Cathedral of Florence was the small church of Santa Reparata, which used to be just where the Duomo is now. During excavations begun in 1966, archeologists found not only the remains of this Medieval church, but also those of a previous church from the early Christian era, as well as several tombs and interesting artifacts from the Middle Ages. In addition, to everyone's surprise, the never-before-known location of the tomb of Brunelleschi showed up almost by chance. Today the excavations are partially open to the public and represent a small but interesting museum with relics from a period of Florentine history of which few traces are left.
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Santa Trinita
This building was originally erected in the middle of the 11th century and after modifications spanning three centuries, the church finally took the form of the plans drawn up by Neri di Fioravante at the end of the 14th century. The façade however was the work of Bernardo Buontalenti. Inside, the only chapel to preserve its original 15th century decorations is the fourth in the right-hand nave. It was Lorenzo Monaco who, between 1420-1425, painted the series of frescoes telling the story of the Virgin Mary and the altar-piece with the Annunciation. The first chapel on the right, in the apse walls, was owned by the Sassetti family who commissioned Domenico Ghirlandio to paint the series of frescoes telling the stories of St Francis of Assisi which depict aspects of 15th century life with particular realism. Il Ghirlandaio also worked on the altar-piece with the Shepherd's worship, dated 1485. Open:7:30a-noon, 4p-7p M-Su Services: 7:30a, 9a, 10:30a, noon, 6:30p Su
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Santi Apostoli
The architectural history of this church began in the Romanesque period in the 11th century. The foundation of the Basilica is maintained on the inside, where the space is arranged into three naves divided by green marble columns from Prato, typical of decorative Florentine architecture, and bare columns which come from the ancient Roman baths of the first century. In the side chapels (15th-16th century) the late baroque decorations are still visible, whilst at the far end of the left nave there is the "Sepulchral Monument of Oddo Altoviti" which was made at the beginning of the sixteenth century by Benedetto da Rovezzano.
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Santissima Annunziata
This basilica is also a sanctuary because one of its chapels contains the picture of the Annunciation. According to legend, this appeared on the wall at the time of the Virgin Mary. The devotional chapel was decorated with precious marble columns through the wishes of Piero di Cosimo, the father of Lorenzo the Magnificent. The church is entered from the Piassa Santissima Annunziata. At the entrance there is a portico which dates back to the seventeenth century. Past the portico, one enters the Chiostrino dei Voti which is frescoed by Masters of the Florentine school over two centuries: Andrea del Sarto, Franciabigio, Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino. The "Chiostro dei Morti" (Cloister of the Dead) can also be visited on request. There one can see the important fresco by Andrea del Sarto: the "Madonna del Sacco" (1525). Services: 7a, 8a, 9a, 10a, 11a, noon, 1p 6pm, 9pm Sun.
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Santo Spirito
The church can be found in one of the most lively piazzas in everyday Oltrarno Florence. The scrolled plaster facade is from the eighteenth century, but is only the last phase of the building. The building was started in 1444 by one of the greatest creators of the renaissance in Florence: Filippo Brunelleschi. Brunelleschi's geometric measurements are visible in the line of perspective that exists in the church's foundation, with its three naves which run down into the transept. The internal perimeter wall is punctuated with apses in which there are aristocratic family chapels which are decorated with architectural motifs, altar pieces or paintings from different periods. Out of the many works, the ones which stand out are the decoration of the Corbinelli Chapel by Andrea Sansovino (1492) in the left transept and in the right transept there is the Altar piece of the "Madonna on the throne with Saints" (1493-94) by Filippino Lippi. On the altar there is the wooden crucifix which is attributed to Michelangelo. Open: 8:30a noon, 4p-530p M-Su. Services: 9a, 10:30a noon , 5:30p Su in Winter months, 6p Su in Summer months.
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Stadio Comunale
Built in 1931 by the architect Pier Luigi Nervi and partly modified for the World Football Championships in 1990, this stadium remains an example of the high architectural standards of the thirties, both in the choice of materials, reinforced concrete and in the technical capacity of the architectural plans. The home team that enlivens the locals on Sundays is 'la Fiorentina' or as the fans call them, 'The Violets' after the team's official colour.
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Tempio Israelitico di Firenze
The Synagogue of Florence was built between 1872-72 for the Sephardic Jewish community of the city. Built by a team of three architects (of which one was Jewish, two were Catholic), the Synagogue was built in Moorish-Byzantine style; it also includes several elements of traditional Florentine architecture (such as the use of a dome and a striped marble stonework on the exterior). Other more Christian architectural elements are also present in the Synagogue, including the aspe, transept, pulpit, and even an organ, which are most likely a result of the eclecticism present in Florence near the turn of the 20th century. Of interest is also the attached Jewish Museum of Florence, which contains rare items such as a Rimonim Atara and Siman from 1717.
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The Mall
Approximately a one-hour drive from Florence, one can find a shopper's paradise: a series of outlets open to the general public and selling luxury fashion items from major Italian brand names such as Armani, Gucci, Ferragamo.
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Via della Vigna Nuova
Together with the more famous Via Tornabuoni, this street is the address for some of the most famous designers' stores. Among the brand names represented are: Dolce e Gabbana, Perla, Lacoste & Ermenegildo Zegna.
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Via Maggio
Meaning "Main Street" in old Florentine, this street gained its importance when Grand Duke Cosimo I Medici chose it as the main street for processions going from his residence at Palazzo Pitti to the Signoria Palace and the Cathedral. In the 16th and 17th century, many notable Florentine families chose to have their palaces built on this street, for the prestige of residing on "Main Street." Today, this street is lined with Renaissance palazzos, and it has also become famous for its many antique shops and art dealers.
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Via Tornabuoni
Via Tornabuoni is the most elegant street in Florence. Lined with palaces from the Renaissance and Baroque era, this street (together with neighboring Via della Vigna Nuova) has become the place where the most famous brand designer shops can be found. The designer shops begin at the gorgeous 14th-century Palazzo Spini Feroni, housing Ferragamo's headquarters and flagship store, and end two long blocks further in Piazza Antinori. Among the many brand names represented are: Prada, Gucci, Versace, Armani, Cavalli and Ferragamo.
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Villa Medicea di Poggio a Caiano
In 1480 Lorenzo il Magnifico acquired a fortified, medieval building, commissioning Giuliano da Sangallo to carry out the necessary structural work to render it habitable. The villa was then enhanced by decorative works ordered by his son Leone X; the so-called "Leone X Room" on the first floor was in fact decorated by famous Florentine artists of the mannerist style. Alessandro Allori completed the project between 1579 and 1582. Particularly praiseworthy was the lunetta by Pontormo depicting the figures "Vertumno e Pomona". Il Francabigio was also involved in the decoration of the panelled ceiling of the villa's barrelled vaults. Outside there are fine examples of ancient architecture such as the porch, which features timpani pediments embellished with a frieze in relief in glazed terracotta, a copy of the original by Andrea Sansovino that can be found inside. The gardens and park are also worth a visit. Guided visits are compulsory with organised tours at specific times for groups of 15 people.
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Villa Medicea La Petraia
It was Ferdinando I de' Medici who commissioned the restructuring works to this castle, which belonged to the Brunelleschi family in the second half of the 16th century. It seems more than likely that Buonalenti was placed in charge of the project. In 1648, Volterrano completed the frescoes on the walls of the inner courtyard, depicting the splendour of the Medici family. The courtyard was covered with an iron structure when the villa passed to the Savoy family, who then transformed it into a summer residence, introducing new furniture, including imperial pieces from other royal residences. The Italian gardens in front of the villa, complete with nurseries, greenhouses and