Tag: Arnolfo di Cambio in Florence

Buy tickets & tours:GetYourGuide Palazzo Vecchio is the monumental town hall of Florence, located in Piazza della Signoria, one of the most important civic spaces in the historic center. The palace stands beside the Uffizi Gallery, about 50 meters from its northern side, and about 300 meters from Ponte Vecchio. Known in English as the “Old Palace”, Palazzo Vecchio has been connected with Florentine government for more than seven centuries. It was built as a fortified seat for the city’s magistrates, later became a Medici residence, and still houses the Municipality of Florence, the Mayor’s offices, and the city council. The building is one of the clearest symbols of Florence’s political history. Its massive stone facade, high battlements, and 95-meter Torre di Arnolfo dominate Piazza della Signoria. Inside, the museum preserves medieval rooms, Renaissance halls, Medici apartments, archaeological remains, monumental frescoes, sculptures, maps, and civic artworks. Palazzo Vecchio is also one of the best places to understand Florence as a city-state. The building connects the Roman city of Florentia, the medieval republic, the Medici duchy, the short period when Florence was capital of Italy, and the modern civic administration of the city.     Short History of Palazzo Vecchio Roman Read more [...]

Buy tickets & tours:GetYourGuide The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is the main church of Florence and one of the most recognizable monuments in Italy. Located in Piazza del Duomo, in the historic center of Florence, it forms a monumental religious complex with Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, and the Opera del Duomo Museum. Commonly known as Florence Cathedral, the church replaced the older cathedral of Santa Reparata, whose archaeological remains can still be visited below the present building. The cathedral is famous for its vast Gothic structure, its marble exterior, and the revolutionary dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi in the 15th century. When the cathedral was structurally completed in 1436, it was among the largest churches ever built. Today, it remains one of the largest churches in the world, with an internal length of 153 meters, a width of 90 meters at the transept, and the largest masonry dome ever constructed.   Short History of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence Cathedral) From Santa Reparata to a New Cathedral The site of the cathedral had religious importance long before the construction of the present church. The older cathedral, Santa Reparata, stood here for Read more [...]

Buy tickets & tours:GetYourGuide Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross) is one of the most important religious monuments in Florence and one of the major Franciscan churches in Europe. It stands in Piazza Santa Croce, in the eastern part of the historic center, not far from the Arno River, the Uffizi area, and the medieval streets around Borgo Santa Croce. Basilica di Santa Croce is about 115 meters long and 38 meters wide, making it one of the largest churches in Florence. Its monumental complex covers about 12,000 square meters and includes cloisters, chapels, museum spaces, and convent buildings. Basilica di Santa Croce is also known as the Temple of the Italian Glories because it preserves or commemorates many important figures in Italian history. Among the people buried or honored here are Michelangelo Buonarroti, Galileo Galilei, Niccolò Machiavelli, Vittorio Alfieri, Ugo Foscolo, and Gioachino Rossini. The basilica is not only a burial place. It is also one of Florence’s richest artistic sites, with works connected to Giotto, Agnolo Gaddi, Taddeo Gaddi, Donatello, Filippo Brunelleschi, Giorgio Vasari, Bronzino, and Antonio Canova.   Short History of Basilica di Santa Croce The Franciscan Origins The history of the Basilica di Read more [...]