My Visual Travel Experience: Florence

I first visited Florence in 1986 as a 13 year old on a Grade 8 school trip from Vienna International School. We were studying the Renaissance in History, and this trip was a part of that. It was a three day trip with around 20 of my class mates. It was a fun trip, and it was a great way of having our history lesson come alive through the amazing art and architecture of this fascinating city. The next year, I again spent a couple of days in Florence with my sister and cousin. Despite my being just 14 and their being much older than me, I was like a guide for them, since I had visited Florence just the previous year. Then years later in 2007, as part of one of my long European trips, I spent four days in Florence. I found Florence nothing less than mesmerizing, and the things that contributed to this were the spectacular churches, the stunning museums, the amazing art by masters like Michelangelo and Botticelli, the beautiful Renaissance architecture, the charming pedestrianized city centre, the friendly people and the delicious Italian food!

Florence, a city with around 380,000 residents (2013) and called Firenze in Italian, lies in central Italy and is the capital of Tuscany. It is the 8th most populated city in Italy, after Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Palermo, Genoa and Bologna. Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance under the powerful Medici family. That was the transition of Europe from the medieval ages to the modern era. The centre of Florence was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

Julius Caesar established Florence in 59 BC as a settlement for veteran soldiers. The city was conquered by Charlemagne in 774 AD. By the 15th century, Florence was among the largest cities in Europe, with 60,000 residents, and it was a wealthy city. The city was controlled by the Medici family. The Medicis were bankers to the pope. Cosimo de Medici was the first member of the family to control the city. He was succeeded by his son Piero de Medici, who was then succeeded by his son, Lorenzo de Medici in 1469.

Lorenzo was a patron of the arts, and commissioned works by the greatest Italian masters of the time, including Michelangelo, Leonarda da Vinci and  Botticelli. He was called “Lorenzo the Magnificent”. Lorenzo died in 1492 and was succeeded by his son Piero II. Piero II tasted defeat at the hands of the French king, Charles VIII. The locals rebelled against Piero II and he was exiled in 1494, and this ended Medici rule in the city, and a republican government was restored. Dominican friar Girolamo Savanarola became head of the San Marco monastery in 1490. He was critical of Pope Alexander VI and was excommunicated. He was arrested and burned at the stake at Piazza della Signoria in 1498.

In the 18th century, Florence became a part of the Austrian Empire. In the early 19th century, it became a part of Napoleon’s Empire, but after that fell, it again became a part of the Austrian Empire. Tuscany became a region in the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. In 1865, Florence replaced Turin as the capital of Italy. Six years later, Rome became the country’s capital. During World War II, Florence was occupied by the Germans from 1943 to 1944. Many opponents of the Germans were executed before the Germans finally left the city. Troops from New Zealand, South Africa and Great Britain liberated the city from the Germans. In 1946, Florence became a part of the Italian Republic.

Santa Maria del Fiore, also called Duomo, was completed in 1436. The dome was made by Brunelleschi. The exterior has polychrome marble panels. The large dome has a height of 114 meters. The complex also has the Baptistery (an octagonal structure dating back to the 12th century, which has a mosaic covered ceiling, and bronze doors called The Gates of Paradise by Mchelangelo) and Giotto’s Campanile (a free standing structure with  7 bells and a height of 84 meters). 

The Duomo (Santa Maria della Fiore)

Piazza della Signoria is named after Palazzo Signoria, also called Palazzo Vecchio, that stands at one end of the square. It is in the heart of the old city. The Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall, and has a soaring clock tower with a height of 94 meters. It also has three courtyards. The building's most striking room is the Hall of the Five Hundred. Many works of art, including sculptures and paintings, are present inside Palazzo Vecchio.

Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria

Piazza della Signoria has many statues of note, including a copy of Michelangelo’s David, one of the world's most famous statues. The original statue is at the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence, along with many other works of art. The marble statue of David was completed by Michelangelo in 1503, and has a height of just over 5 meters. The statue used to be at Piazza della Signoria till 1873, when it was moved to the Galleria dell'Accademia. Other well known works at the academy include Micheangelo's four unfinished Prisoners, and Giambologna's original plaster model of the Rape of the Sabine Women.

Michelangelo's David, Piazza della Signoria

Other well known statues st Piazza della Signoria include The Rape of the Sabine Women, Perseus with the Head of Medusa,  Hercules and Cacus, Judith and Holofernes, the Fountain of Neprune , and the Equestrian Monument of Cosimo I.

The Rape of the Sabine Women, Piazza della Signoria

Perseus with the Head of Medusa, Piazza della Signoria

Hercules and Casus, Piazza della Signoria

Judith and Holofernes, Piazza della Signoria

Fountain of Neptune, Piazza della Signoria

Equestrian Monument of Cosimo I, Piazza della Signoria

The Uffizi Gallery is a famous art gallery next to Piazza Galleria. It is best to book tickets online before a visit. I stood in a line for 4 hours before I managed to get in, but the fabulous collection made it worth the long wait. The gallery has the art collection of the Medici family, given to the state by the last heiress, Anna Maria Luisa.  In 1765, it was opened to the public. Prominent paintings include Bottecelli's The Birth of Venus, Primavera and Adoration of the Magi; Michelangelo's The Holy Family; Leonardo da Vinci's The Annunciation and Adoration of the Magi; Raphael's Madonna of the Goldfinch; Titian's Flora and Venus of Urbino; Parmigianino's Madonna with the Long Neck; and a series of self portraits by Rembrandt.

Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, Uffizi Gallery
Public Domain, Credit: Google Art Project

Botticelli's Primavera, Uffizi Gallery
Public Domain, Credit: Google Art Project

Michelangelo's The Holy Family, Uffizi Gallery
Public Domain, Credit: Google Art Project

Raphael's Madonna of the Goldfinch, Uffizi Gallery
Public Domain, Credit: Google Art

Parmigianino's Madonna with the Long Neck, Uffizi Gallery
Public Domain, Credit: Google Art Project

Ponte Vecchio is a closed, medieval stone bridge over the Arno River. The bridge was first built in the 10th century, but was washed away. It was then rebuilt. The bridge has many shops along it, selling jewellery, art and souvenirs. There are also hawkers who come and try and sell their goods to tourists. It is obviously not allowed, because time and again, I noticed police coming and the hawkers running like the wind and disappearing!

Ponte Vecchio

San Lorenzo is a large church that is the burial place of the main members of the Medici family from Cosimo il Vecchio to Cosimo III. It was completed in 1470. The church has works of art by noted artists like Bronzino and Donatello.

San Lorenzo

Santa Croce is Florence’s main Franciscan church and is the world’s largest such church. The church was consecrated in 1442. The church  has the tombs of some of Italy’s most famous sons, including Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiaveli and Rossini.

Facade, Santa Croce

Michelangelo's Tomb, Santa Croce

Crucifixion, Santa Croce

San Marco consists of a church and a convent. In 1437, Cosimo Medici got Michelozzo, a well known architect, to built San Marco in the Renaissance architectural style In the 15th century, it was home to the Dominican painter Fra Angelico (who painted the crucifixion above the high altar of the church) and the Dominican preacher Girolamo Savonarola (who was burned at the stake at Piazza della Signoria for criticizing the Pope). Till 2014, the convent housed Dominican friars. 

Courtyard, San Marco

Friar Angelico's The Crucifixion, San Marco

Mercato Centrale dates back to when Florence was the capital of Italy. The market has vendors selling ingredients of Tuscan cooking, seafood, vegetables, fruits and spices. Outside the building, there are stalls selling largely leather items.

Mercato Centrale

Piazza della Repubblica is a large city square. It was originally the site of the city’s forum, then its old ghetto. The piazza is the venue of street performances. It has some well known cafes. It has a column called the Colonna dell’ Abbondanza.

Piazza della Repubblica

Palazzo Pitti lies on the south side of the River Arno. It dates back to 1458 and was the residence of Luca Pitti, a wealthy banker. In 1549, the Medici family bought the palace. In the late 18th century, it became the base for Napoleon. In 1919, it was donated to the Italian people by King Victor Emmanuel III. One of the highlights of the palace is the Palatine Gallery, which consists of 28 rooms. There are paintings by masters like Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Carvaggion and Veronese. The Boboli Garden lies behind Palazzo Pitti. It was opened to the public in 1766. It was built for the Medicis. The large Italian garden has fountains (including the Neptune Fountain), caves and sculptures.

Palazzo Pitti

Neptune Fountain, Boboli Garden

I loved Florence. Few cities anywhere in the world can boast of the kind of art and architecture that this charming Italian city has. For me, the Duomo, the Piazza della Signoria, Michelangelo's David and the Uffizi Gallery were the main highlights of this fascinating city!