Florence

Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany, has a population of around half a million inhabitants, spread on the banks of the Arno, between the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian seas, almost in the middle of the Italian peninsula. It is a city which bustles with industry and craft, commerce and culture, art and science. The climate is temperate but rather variable, with breezy winters and hot summers.

Founded by the Romans in the first century B.C., Florence began its rebirth after the decadence of the barbaric ages, in the Carolingian period, and reached its highest pinnacles of civilization between the 11th and 15th centuries, as a free city, balancing the authority of the Emperors with that of the Popes, overcoming the unfortunate internal dispute between Guelfs and Ghibellines. In the 15th century, it came under the rule of the Medici family, who later became the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. This was the period when the city was at the height of its glory in art and culture, in politics and economic power. The Grand Duchy of the Medicis was succeeded, in the 18th century, by that of the House of Lorraine, when in 1860 Tuscany became part of the Kingdom of Italy of which Florence was the capital from 1865 to 1871. In this century, the city has once more taken up its role as an important centre for culture and the arts.

All the tourist attractions are grouped together in four zones, all of which can be easily visited on foot. The geographical and historical fulcrum of Florence is recognised as those parts which contains the city's Duomo, the Santa Croce district, the north zone of San Lorenzo and San Marco, the zone running from the Santa Maria Novella train station to the west to the Piazza della Repubblica, Ponte Vecchio, Mercato Nuovo and in the district of Oltrarno with the Pitti Place, Santo Spirito, the Boboli Gardens and the Santa Maria del Carmine Church.

The eastern zone of the city maintains its Medieval atmosphere, with its hive of narrow streets and ancient alleyways. The Santa Maria del Fiore or Duomo, with its baptistery designed by Ghiberti and its bell-tower designed by Giotto, dominates this area. The Orsanmichele, one of the finest examples of 13th century architecture in the city, is located in Via Calzaiuoli. The Bargello Gallery is situated in via del Proconsolo. The gallery houses a collection of Florentine Renaissance sculptures, with works from Michelangelo, Donatello and Cellini.

The magnificent Gothic Santa Croce Basilica, in the Santa Croce Piazza, is a collection of monastic buildings grouped around cloisters, forming what is today a museum of paintings and religious sculptures. The basilica houses tombs and cenotaphs by Galileo and Michelangelo, the crucifixions by Donatello and Cimabue, the Pazzi Chapel by Brunelleschi and the Bardi Chapel, with Giotto frescoes. The Piazza della Signoria was both the centre of political power and city life until the era of the city council. This large and sunny square is dominated by the imposing Palazzo Vecchio, which forms the back drop to the Signoria open arched gallery, one of the most important Medieval buildings in Italy.

The Medici zone winds it way along via de Martelli, one of the city's main streets, which starts at the passage between the Duomo and the Baptistery. The zone is the site of the San Lorenzo Basilica, which houses the mortal remains of some of the most illustrious Medici family members. The Palazzo Medici Ricccardi, the family's main residence, is situated a short distance away. The roads situated around Piazza San Lorenzo, are bustling with a large and colourful market, which includes the central market, a two-storey building selling fresh food. The zone ,which at the time of the Medici, housed the Granduke's stables, is now the San Marco district, with its Convent. This district has a young feel , owing to the large presence of students from the University, Conservatory and the Academy of Fine Arts. The block of buildings that begin on the corner of via Ricasoli, is the site of the Academy's Gallery, the Gem Factory and the Archaeology Museum.

The city is bordered in the west by the railway station and Ponte Vecchio. The bridge houses numerous antique and modern jewellery shops. The Piazza della Repubblica, one of the liveliest zones of Florence, is situated a short distance away. This zone is renowned for its cafes and shopping area which includes via Vigna Nuova and via de Tornabuoni, both highly elegant, lined with refined shops and important buildings from the 15th to the 18th century. The Palazzo Strozzi is an example of the zone's fine buildings, built in Florentine Renaissance style, it is the seat of numerous cultural institutions, including Gabinetto G.P. Visseux.

Oltrarno, is a tranquil zone of low buildings, antique shops and work-shops. The area is dominated by the Palazzo Pitti and the intricately shaped hedges of the Boboli Gardens. The zone is the site of Via Maggio and the Piazza di Santo Spirito, both lined by aristocratic buildings. The Santa Maria del Carmine, situated in the Piazza del Carmine, is famous for its frescoes in the Bancacci Chapel, painted by Masolino and Masaccio.

Bargello Museum The Bargello Museum contains the most comprehensive range of medieval and Renaissance sculpture in Italy. Notable works include Michelangelo's drunken Bacchus, Donatello's David, the designs submitted by Brunelleschi for the Baptistry Doors Competition (Ghiberti won that one) and Giambologna's Mercury. The Bargello's heavily fortified exterior is a reminder of the building's former life as police headquarters and prison where many people were tortured in medieval times.Adjacent to the Museum is the Mary Magdalene's chapel which contains frescoes by Giotto's workshop.

Duomo You will probably already have spotted Brunelleschi's sloping, red-tiled dome - predominant on Florence's skyline – from afar but when you first come upon the Duomo (cathedral) from the crowded streets around its square (Piazza del Duomo) you will doubtless be taken aback by the ordered vivacity of its pink, white and green marble façade. Brunelleschi won a public competition to design the enormous dome, the first of its kind since antiquity. Although now severely cracked and under restoration, it remains a remarkable achievement of design. The great temple's full name is Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore and it is the world's fourth-largest cathedral. It was begun in 1296 by Arnolfo di Cambio and took almost 150 years to complete. It is 153m long and 38m wide, except the transept, which extends 90m. The cathedral it replaced, dedicated to Santa Reparata, fitted into an area extending less than halfway down from the entrance to the transept.

Piazza della Signoria A massive holding tank for tourists (if you want space, bring a bicycle bell), the city's most splendid piazza was created virtually by accident in the 13th century and - lined with replicas of famous sculptures and historical buildings - has been the hub of Florentine political life ever since. In times of political crises, the public would be summoned here for popular votes, which usually decided the fates of conflicting families and frequently descended into frenzied riots. Emotions would be stirred up by political speeches delivered from an arringhiera (oration platform) in front of Palazzo Vecchio, from where we get the word 'harangue'. Nowadays it's predominantly tourists who make up the mob, sipping coffee at overpriced restaurants, snapping away at the famous scenes, or posing in front of Ammannati's Mannerist Fountain of Neptune, a waste of a perfectly good block of marble, according to Michelangelo. Cellini's Perseus, holding Medusa's severed head, served to warn Cosimo I's enemies of what would happen should they cross the line, and is the finest original work on the piazza.

Piazza San Lorenzo This lovely area recalls Florence in its prime, when Cosimo de' Medici was king and cultural creativity abounded. San Lorenzo Basilica was begun by Brunelleschi in 1425 and is regarded as one of the city's purest Renaissance churches. The eastern façade is especially interesting, as it is sparsely decorated and reveals the antique brickwork. It was the Medici family's parish church, and many of the members of the family are buried here. Donatello designed the bronze pulpits, and he is buried in one of the chapels. Passing through the cloister, you reach the Laurenziana Library, commissioned to house the family's huge collection of books and featuring a sublime staircase by Michelangelo. The Medici Chapels are sumptuously decorated with precious marble and semiprecious stones; the most powerful Medicis were buried here. The New Sacristy was designed by Michelangelo and contains his Night and Day, Dawn and Dusk sculptures.

Pitti Palace One of the most visited sites on the southern bank of the Arno, this palace was designed by Brunelleschi for the Pitti family, rivals of the Medicis. It's a huge and imposing building, and a treasure house of the Medici family's massive art collection including works by Raphael, Filippo Lippi, Tintoretto, Veronese and Rubens, all hung in lavishly decorated rooms. The restored apartments convey the extravagant lifestyles of the Medicis, and the Savoys who later usurped their position. The palace also houses a gallery of modern art and a costume collection. If you're a palazzo addict, don't miss the Strozzi Palace, one of the city's most impressive Renaissance palaces; and the Rucellai Palace, designed by Leon Battista Alberti, and today housing a photographic museum. Surrounding the rear of the Pitti Palace are some of Florence's most precious and breathtaking parks: the Boboli Gardens. A perfect example of formal Renaissance landscaping, the gardens include pools, fountains, geometric borders, tree-lined vistas, a grotto and the star-shaped Forte di Belvedere. If you've got the energy, it's worth heading down Via del Belvedere to reach Piazzale Michelangelo, which offers one of the most beautiful views over Florence.

Santa Croce If you experience a peculiar giddy feeling after visiting the Church of Santa Croce, don't despair. It's probable that you've succumbed to Stendhal's Disease, an illness diagnosed in about 12 visitors to Florence each year, and dating from the French writer's own feelings of culture shock and bedazzlement when he visited the church in the early 19th century. Geometrically coloured marble decorates the building's façade (added in the 19th century), but the real treats lie inside, where many famous Florentines lie in peace. The walls are lined with tombs, and 276 tombstones pave the floor. The church's most famous inhabitants are Michelangelo, Macchiavelli, Galileo and Bardi. Its various chapels feature works of art by Giotto and della Robbia, and the serene cloisters were designed by Brunelleschi. Santa Croce's museum features a partially restored crucifix by Cimabue, which was damaged by the 1966 floods. Other churches which shouldn't be missed include the statue-filled Orsanmichele; Santa Trinità, featuring frescoes by Ghirlandaio; All Saints', with frescoes by Botticelli and Ghirlandaio; Santa Maria Novella, which contains Masaccio's groundbreaking Trinity, along with other significant artworks; the popular SS Annunziata; Giambologna's remodelled San Marco; and the Church of the Holy Spirit, one of Brunelleschi's last commissions, and featuring Filippino Lippi's Madonna & Child. Make a date to see Michelangelo's David at Accademia Gallery. It's extraordinary to see in the flesh, along with the other masterpieces; Botticelli, Fra Bartolommeo and Giambologna, to name a few.

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