Introduction
Page 2 (Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi)
Page 3 (Duomo, Baptistery, Piazza della Repubblica)
Page 4 (Ponte Vecchio, Pitti Palace, Accademia)
Academia Gallery profile
Page 2 (Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi)
Page 3 (Duomo, Baptistery, Piazza della Repubblica)
Page 4 (Ponte Vecchio, Pitti Palace, Accademia)
Academia Gallery profile
Dominating the plaza is the Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace). Completed in 1302, the Palace is quite medieval in appearance. It was extensively re-done in the 16th Century when Grand Duke Cosimo I made it his residence. Nonetheless, his son still decided to move the court to the Pitti Palace.
The Old Palace took on new life in the 19th Century when it housed the Italian Parliament during the brief period when Florence was the capital of the newly unified Italy. Today, the Palazzo Vecchio is the City Hall of Florence. For information about visiting the Palazzo Vecchio click here. |
The Uffzi GalleryImmediately next to the Palazzo Vecchio is one of the world's great art museums, the Uffzi Gallery. It was not built by Cosimo de' Medici, first Grand Duke of Tuscany, as a museum but rather as a series of government offices. However, over the years, the Medici came to store more and more of their extensive art collection here. In 1769, Grand Duke Peter Leopold opened the galleries to the public.
The collections include works by Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and many other great artists. Consequently, it is a very popular place to visit and there are long lines to get in. Furthermore, since the building was not designed as a museum, it takes time to see the collections. To save time, it is best to purchase tickets ahead of time. For information about visiting the Uffizi click here. |
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Cruise article - Walking Through Florence - Florence, Italy - page 2