Our last spot in Italy before departing for Portugal was the stunning Florence (Firenze), the birthplace of renaissance – which continues to have renaissance sculptures, art & architecture on display. Florence has a population of over 367K and close to 1 million in the greater area and felt busy with tourists.
Highlights:
- Cathedrale of Santa Maria Del Fiore – and the entire square
- Ponte Vecchio
- Palazzo Vecchio – featuring the Statue of David
- Piazzale Michelangelo
- and more!
We joined a free walking tour – which of course landed at the incredible Cathedrale of Santa Maria Del Fiore (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower) & its surrounding structures. The Cathedrale is one of the largest in the world – as well as very old, with the first stone laid in 1296. It was consecrated in 1436. The stunning white, green and red marble in lots of shapes on the façade is truly stunning.
In front of the Cathedrale is the just as beautiful Baptistery of St. John – which is even older, being consecrated by 1059 by Pope Niccolo. The octagon building is 25.6 metres (84 feet) across and shares the stunning green and white marble. The lines were massive so we simply enjoyed the outside.
The square also contains the Dome & tower. The Dome is a symbol of Florence, of Renaissance Culture and was built between 1420-1436 by Filippo Brunelleschi. 4 million bricks were used in the construction – and from most view points of the city you can see this impressive dome. It stands at 179.79ft wide and 357.7ft tall.
Giotto’s Bell Tower is an Italian Gothic masterpiece – and is a square tower that stands at 277.9 ft. Between Giotto, Pisano and Talenti – it was completed in 1359 – the red, green & white marble matches the church and baptistry.
Our walking tour then went through some incredible streets that are lined with galleries & then landed at the Ponte Vecchio (old bridge). This is the only bridge in Florence that was spared from destruction during the Second World War.
It is a closed–spandrel segmental arch bridge – which runs over the Arno River. It is not a really long or wide bridge spanning 30 metres with a max width of 32 metres but has a very old history. The first bridge spanning dating back to 996 but the existing bridge dates back to 1345.
When you are on the bridge (see below) it doesn’t even feel like you are on a bridge, but a city street. There have been shops on the bridge since 13th century, starting with butcher, fishmongers, farmers, but now it is much more touristy with jewelers, art dealers and souvenir shops.
David & I then went Mercato Centrale Firenze which just recently opened as a market in 2014 – but is housed in a stunning building made of iron & glass that was built in 1874. It offered an amazing varieties of wine, limoncello and of course lots of produce.
The walking tour also took us to Palazzo Vecchio which is now the town hall. The town hall was originally a palace that was constructed in 1299, and then in the 15th century architects added some more decorative components. The Palazzo is also the home of Michelangelo’s Statue of David. Below you can see my David in front of this 17 foot marble structure that is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance sculptures. It was created from 1501 – 1504.
Adjacent to the Palazzo is the Loggia dei Lanza, which is an arched gallery built in the 14th century filled with many sculptures. They are in order:
- Giambologna, Hercules and the Centaur Nessus (1599)
- Giambologna, Rope of Sabine Women (from behind) (1583)
- The Cellini, Perseus is the statue of Perseus with the Head of Medusa (Silhouette) (1545-54)
- Can’t find the last!
Our accommodations was down the river, but on the walk back we got a great sunset photo of the Arno River & Ponte Vecchio. The Arno River runs through Pisa & Florence at a length of 241kms.
Because everyone who has been to Florence says you must go up to Piazzale Michelangelo we of course obliged. On this hot hot day the climb for the view was a struggle – but totally worth it:
Piazzale Michelangelo is a square dedicated to Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo, which is part of the Florentine Piazza which was designed by architect Giuseppe Poggi. It was built in 1869 on a hill south of the historic Arno river with a stunning view of all of Florence. You get amazing panoramic views of Firenze from up here – and there is a spot to sit and have a drink to cool down!
As mentioned you can see the Dome and Bell Tower as two prominent landmarks of the Firenze – as well as the tower found in Palazzo Vecchio. It truly is a must see and even on the hottest day its only about a 15-20 minute walk from Ponte Vecchio.
We enjoyed the food, the city streets, the waking tour, stunning views, and incredible sculptures in Tuscany’s Capital City. You can definitely feel how it was once one of the wealthiest cities in the medieval era – as there is lots of marble and other stunning architecture.
Well that is Italy 2022 – Italy – I love you so, its no surprise you are one of the most visited countries in the world. I am sure I will be back! Now on to Portugal and I can’t wait to share our adventures with you – stay tuned!
June 29, 2022
Next up: Portugal – Lisbon: Streets & Eats
Moira's Travel Blog 