Practicalities

Churches

Located in Piazza San Giovanni beside the Duomo and Giotto's belltower, the Baptistry is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Some say it was built in the eleventh century; some even say it dates to the fifth century, the site of a Romanesque building. Its octagonal shape is outlined by white and green marble strips and pillars with horizontal bands.

On the upper part, three arches per side outline the window frames on each side; above stands the attic from the thirteenth century, supporting the pyramid-shaped covering. The precious bronze doors are famous. The oldest is the South Door, by Andrea Pisano (1330-36), which is divided into 28 finely-sculpted panels. The North Door, also divided into 28 panels, was completed by Lorenzo Ghiberti and illustrious collaborators such as Donatello, Paolo Uccello and Masolino (1403-24). The East Door, called "of Paradise" because Michelangelo referred to it in this way, is Ghiberti's most famous work, completed with the help of Michelozzo, Gozzoli and others (1424-52). The interior of the Baptistry, which is rather austere, is paved in marble flooring decorated with fine inlay. The dome is entirely covered with precious Byzantine mosaics from the thirteenth and fourteenth century. Numerous works of art are housed here, including some by Donatello and Michelozzo.

The ancient church was consecrated in 393 by Ambrogio, bishop of Milan. It assumed its Romanesque shape around the year 1000, was then rebuilt as it appears today by Brunelleschi around the middle of the fifteenth century, and was finished by his student Antonio Manetti. Two pulpits by Donatello, an elegant marble tabernacle by Desiderio da Settignano, plus works by Bronzino, Sogliano, Filippo Lippi and Rosso Fiorentino make the basilica especially precious. Beside the church stands the splendid Old Sacristy, designed by Brunelleschi in 1420 and decorated by Donatello, and also the New Sacristy, built by Michelangelo in 1524 as a funerary chapel for the Medici family. The New Sacristy, together with the baroque Chapel of the Princes, planned by Matteo Nigetti, constitute the Museum of the Medici Chapels. To the left of the church one finds the Medici-Laurenziani Library, planned by Michelangelo to conserve the copious collection of ancient manuscripts that belonged to the Medici.

Basilica of Santa Croce

The gothic basilica of Santa Croce, built between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries according to the plans of Arnolfo di Cambio, has a grandious and austere appearance.It is well known because some of the most famous Italians in history are buried here.

Among the most important monuments are the tomb of the Alfieri, built by Canova; that of Leonardo Bruni, by Rossellino; and that of Carlotta Bonaparte, by Bartolini. The interior is enhanced by radious frescoes painted at the beginning of the fourteenth century by Giotto and his pupil Taddeo Gaddi. Incorporated in the cloister next to the church is the Pazzi Chapel by Brunelleschi, a masterwork of Renaissance architecture. The other monastic buildings around the cloister house the Museum of the Works of Santa Croce, of great interest for the celebrated art that it contains: the Crucifix of Cimabue, the frescoes of Taddeo Gaddi and Andrea Orcagna, and the large golden bronze of San Lodovico of Tolosa, the work of Donatello in 1423.

Giotto's belltower, 85 meters high, a masterpiece of gothic art, stands in the Piazza San Giovanni beside the Duomo. Planned by Giotto in his final years (1334-37), it was continued by Andrea Pisano and finished by Francesco Talenti in 1359. The rectangular base is divided into two sections. The first is decorated in bas reliefs by Andrea Pisano and Luca della Robbia, representing the Arts and human works; the second in allegorical figures by artists from the school of Andrea Pisano. Above these carvings, niches were created to contain statues of the Prophets and Sybils. These statues and carvings have been replaced by copies and the originals have been transferred to the Museum of the Works of the Duomo. The belltower rises even higher, above two floors of mullioned windows and a third floor opening onto triple columns which support the balustrades. A stairway with 412 steps rises to the upper terrace, offering an ample view over the city.

Situated within the thirteenth-century chapel of Santa Maria del Carmine, the Brancacci Chapel is famous for its frescoes, considered masterpieces of Renaissance painting. Masolino began the work in 1425, but many of the painted scenes were done by his pupil Masaccio, who died before completing the cycle. Filippo Lippi finished the work fifty years later, in 1480.

Just above the Piazzale Michelangelo, one finds the church of San Miniato al Monte, whose facade of white and green marble is one of the most interesting examples of Florentine Romanesque. Built between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries, the church contains works of great value, including the chapel of the Crucifix by Michelozzo and the Chapel of the Cardinal of Portugal, surrounded by decorations by Luca della Robbia. The frescoes of Spinello Aretino showing the stories of Saint Benedict are splendid.

The church was built by the Domenican friars between 1279 and 1357. The Romanesque-Gothic facade in white and green marble was completed by Leon Battista Alberti, who designed all of the upper part. The grandious interior, with three naves divided by pillars of various styles, contains splendid works of art: Masaccio's Trinity, Filippo Lippi's frescoes, frescoes by Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Giotto's crucifix and Brunelleschi's wooden crucifix. Adjacent to the church is the entrance to the Santa Maria Novella Museum, which contains the splendid Green Chapel.

Its name derives from the color dominanting the cycle of Biblical frescoes by Paolo Uccello. In the Capitolare ("Capitulation") Room, also known as the Spanish Chapel (Cappellone degli Spagnoli), one can see a well'known fresco by Andrea di Bonaiuto (mid fourteenth century) that portrays the Domenicans in the semblance of dogs ("cane"): "domini canes." Annexed to the Green Cloister are the Cloister of the Dead and the Strozzi Chapel, the latter decorated with fourteenth-century frescoes.

The neighborhood of Santo Spirito in Oltrarno, an area typified by its artisans, restorers and antique dealers, owes its name to the church Santo Spirito. Planned by Brunelleschi and begun in 1444, it was completed only at the end of the fifteenth century, much after his death. Within, the harmony of its proportions has been somewhat altered by the elaborate baroque canopy over the main altar, finished in 1607 by Giovanni Caccini. The church has 38 side altars, decorated with Renaissance sculptures and paintings from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Also of special interest is the sacristy, built according to the designs of Giuliano da Sangallo in 1489.

Situated in Piazza San Giovanni in front of the ancient basilica of Santa Reparata, the gothic cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was begun in 1296 by Arnolfo di Cambio and was consecrated in 1436. The exterior was finished in the second half of the fourteenth century, perhaps by Francesco Talenti. The contrast between the main body of the nave and the octagonal end section is quite notable. The grandious structure of the dome, 114 meters high, shows a magnificent architectural plasticity that greatly surpasses the limits of the gothic. The dome was finished in 1436 according to Brunelleschi's plans. On the sides of the church, the "Almond Door" (relief by Nanni di Banco) and the "Canonical Door" are especially worth noting. The present facade, a modest work by De Fabris, was done in 1887. Arnolfo's original facade was demolished in the sixteenth century, but fragments of his sculptures remain in the Museum of the Works of the Duomo. The interior, in the shape of a Latin cross with three naves, is of the purest and most majestic lines. Among the numerous works of art, the frescoes done for G. Acuto (by Paolo Uccello) and for Niccolo da Tolentino (by Andrea del Castagno) are especially noteworthy. The windows by Paolo Uccello, Andrea del Castagno, Ghiberti and Donatello are also very beautiful. The polychrome marble flooring, completed between the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries, is attributed to Baccio d'Agnolo and Francesco da Sangallo.

Palaces

This is the most grandiose Florentine palace. Its grounds cover more than three hectares at the summit of the Boboli hill. It was built for the banker Luca Pitti according to plans attributed to Brunelleschi, towards the mid-fifteenth century. The grandiosity of the building demonstrates Pitti's determination to rival the Medici family.The banker's failure led to suspension of construction, but it was revived again a century later, after which the Medici themselves bought the palace and made it their own residence. The huge courtyard and two side wings dating from 1560 were planned by Bartolomeo Ammannati.

In 1621, under Cosimo II dei Medici, the work of expanding the vista and reorganizing the piazza began, following to the plans of Giulio and Alfonso Parigi. The building passed into the hands of the Lorena family and then was embellished with two wings, finished by Paoletti and Poccianti in the first half of the nineteenth century, together with the smaller palace of the Meridiana. Some of the most important Florentine museums are now located in the palace and in the Boboli gardens behind it: the Palatina Gallery (on the first floor), the Silver Museum (ground floor and mezzanine), and the Gallery of Modern Art (final floor); while in the Little Palace of the "Cavaliere" on the far side of the garden is the Porcelain Museum and in the Little Palace of the Meridiana, the Costume Gallery.

This is the most typical example of a civil Renaissance palace. It was constructed according to an austere plan drawn up Michelozzo for Cosimo the Elder in 1444. Home of the Medici for 100 years, it was then acquired by the Riccardi family and today is the seat of the Prefecture and the Provincial Administration. Inside one finds an elegant courtyard, a small garden in the Italian style, and Benozzo Gozzoli's celebrated chapel, which he decorated in frescoes, representing the Appearance of the Magi (1459).

Rucellai Palace

Strozzi Palace

The palace was built between 1455 and 1458 by Bernardo Rossellino, following the plans of Leon Battista Alberti, on behalf of Giovanni Rucellai. It is one of the most richly decorated Renaissance buildings in Florence. Presently it houses the Alinari Museum, dedicated to the history of photography. First of its kind in Italy, it is the only national institution dedicated exclusively to photography exhibits.

A masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, the Strozzi Palace in via de' Tornabuoni was initiated by Benedetto da Maiano in 1489 upon the request of Filippo Strozzi the Elder. The work was continued by Rosselli and Cronaca up until the sixteenth century. The magnificent large cornicework which outlines two rows of mullioned windows separated by scalloped cornices is by Cronaca. On the ground floor the doors are framed by rectangular windows. The embossed external decoration adds to the monumentality of the entire structure.

Old Palace

Old Palace (Palace of the Signoria). Situated in Piazza della Signoria, the Old Palace was built between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries by Arnolfo di Cambio. It was completed in 1322 when an enormous bell, used to call the citizenry to assembly, was raised atop the tower. It is the largest civil building of the city, seat of the Priory of the Arts, of the Signoria and ducal residence. Much of the interior was reconstructed by Vasari when Cosimo I of the Medici moved into the palace in 1540. The many frescoes (1563-65) glorify Cosimo I and his foundation of the Granduchy of Tuscany. The sixteenth-century Salon, the section of the Elements and the Room of the Gigli are all worth visiting. The fourteenth-century courtyard, decorated by a gracious fountain with a small angel (a copy of an original by Verrocchio) was later rebuilt by Michelozzo. The Old Palace was the seat of the Italian Parliament between 1865 and 1871; today it houses the Municipality.

Musea and other things to see

This is one of the most well-known museums in Florence because it contains famous sculptures by Michelangelo, including the world-famous David. Here also are many of the paintings gathered by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo to aid young artists in their studies at the Arts Academy, which is still located beside the Gallery.

The Gallery is located in the impressive Uffizi Palace built in the mid-sixteenth century by Giorgio Vasari and finished after his death by the architects Parigi and Buontalenti.
The Uffizi, in a horseshoe shape, extends from the Piazza della Signoria to the Arno river and is connected to the Palazzo Vecchio by a footbridge.

The building was designed to contain the "Offices" (Uffici) of justice: hence the name. Since their origins, however, certain rooms on the third floor were dedicated by the Medici for prestigious art collections of later centuries. In 1737, thanks to the foresightful generosity of Anna Maria Luisa, last survivor of this family renowned for its art collections and patronage, the Uffizi became a public trust. The Gallery today contains masterpieces of Italian and international artists of the thirteenth and eighteenth centuries, including Cimabue, Giotto, Masaccio, Beato Angelico, Leonardo, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Piero della Francesca, Raphael, Caravaggio, Rubens, Rembrandt, Durer, Goya and many others. The Vasari Wing, leading from the Ufizzi to the Pitti Palace, holds a famous collection of self-portraits which is the only one of its kind in the world.

Bardini Museum

Museum of the Works of the Duomo

The Museum is located in the palace built by Stefano Bardini at the end of the nineteenth century. It was given to the Commune of Florence by the same owner. Bardini was a famous antique dealer who besides procuring the finest pieces from foreign museums, gathered for himself objects of art of every period and value. The rooms are bursting with an odd mixture of sculptures, paintings, armory, musical instruments, ceramics and antique furniture. Among the numerous masterpieces of painting and sculpture are the works of Nicola Pisano, Tino da Camaino, Pollaiolo and Donatello.

Situated in the piazza Duomo, the museum contains artworks gathered from the exteriors of the Baptistry, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the belltower of Giotto, in order to protect them. The collection is therefore the most tangible testimony of a typically Florentine plastic tradition, formed from various phases of construction of the Duomo and evolving over centuries in its workshops. The most significant works are the Pietà of Michelangelo, the Magdalene and the Cantorium (choir balcony) of Donatello, Boniface VIII by Arnolfo di Cambio, the Cantorium of Luca della Robbia.

National Museum of the Bargello
The National Museum is housed in one of the oldest public palaces of Florence. Its construction dates to 1255. Erected as the office for the Captain of the People, it was later seat of the Podestà (Mayor) and then of the Captain of Justice or Bargello, from which its name is derived. For the entire eighteenth century it was used as a prison and capital punishments took place there. After impressive restorations it became the National Museum in 1865. It houses a superb collection of sculptures from the Florentine Renaissance, with works by Michelangelo, Donatello, Giambologna and Cellini, as well as a collection of Mannerist bronzes.

Piazza della Signoria
The Piazza of the Signoria, inaugurated between the thirteenth and fourteenth century, has always been the political center of Florence. The citizens gather here when called to public assemblies. The statues, some of which are not originals, commemorate the city's most important events, many of which are connected to the rise and fall of the Florentine Republic. Savonarola was burned at the stake here. The piazza, with the fountain of Neptune (sixteenth century) at its center, holds the Old Palace and the Loggia of the Signoria, better known as the loggia of the Lanzi. This was built in the fourteenth century in gothic-Renaissance style, designed for public ceremonies. It houses various sculptures, among which the Perseus in bronze by Cellini and the Rape of the Sabines by Gianbologna.

Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge")

This is the oldest bridge of Florence, built in 1345 probably by Neri di Fioravante.
It is the only one that was not destroyed during the Second World War. The bridge is formed by three arches resting upon two robust pillars with spurs in the form of ships' prows. Upon it are two rows of typical jewellry shops, some of which extend over the edges of the bridge, sustained by supports called "sporti". On the high part of the bridge on the east side passes the Vasariano corridor, uniting the Uffizi to the Pitti Palace.