Piazza della Signoria
One of the largest squares in central Florence, Piazza della Signoria is one of the cultural hubs of the historic center and is home to many important sights, not the least of which is Palazzo Vecchio which was and still is city hall. The Galleria degli Uffizi is also located just off of the square and is world renowned as one of the centers of Renissance art.
Piazza della Signoria is one of the three primary squares of early Florence, taking the role of the political center of the city. It is impossible to talk about the square without talking about its most impressive structure, Palazzo Vecchio. Construction on Florence’s city hall was started in 1299 by demolishing two previously existing Palazzi on the site clearing out room for the square. During the construction process, the old substructure of the tower was maintained, leading to the odd sight today that the tower is not located in the center of the building but is instead pushed to the right side. The building was home to the Medici family until they moved across the river to Palazzo Pitti, thus necessitating the need for the construction of the Vasari Corridor which allowed the Medici to walk from their new home to the City Hall without having to go into public. The end of the Corridor can be seen connecting from the Uffizi into the right side of the Palazzo as you are facing it straight on. Looking straight at the Palazzo you can see a copy of Michelangelo’s David on the left side of the entranceway (where the original used to sit until 1873) and the statue of Hercules and Cacus on the right.
Palazzo Vecchio
The inside of Palazzo Vecchio is mainly a museum today which showcases the rooms where Cosimo I lived and held audience. The first room you will enter after purchasing your ticket and walking upstairs is Salone dei Cinquecento, or Room of 500 which represents the Grand Council of Florence which had 500 members during the time of the Medici’s exile from the city. However at the time of naming the room was not as big as you see it today, as when the Medici returned to Florence it was enlarged by Giorgio Vasari by raising the roof. Vasari also designed the ceiling and walls of the enormous room, which depicts historical scenes from the Florentine Republic such as the capture of Siena on the right side of the room and the taking of Pisa on the left. The ceiling depicts Great Episodes from the life of Cosimo I, with the center showing Cosimo I during his Glorification as Grand Duke of Florence and Tuscany. As you continue through the building, you will enter rooms where the Medici used to live and small chapels where they could pray privately. During the warmer months the Terrace of Saturn will be open allowing views to the southeast across the Arno to Piazzale Michelangelo and Fortress Belvedere on the hill. Also upstairs is a second view of the Salone dei Cinquecento which allows not only a closer view of the ceiling but also to take in the scope of this huge room. One of the rooms near the end of the visit worth taking a closer look at is the Stanza del Guardaroba which translates to wardrobe or coatroom and was where the Medici would keep their valuables. It is decorated with 53 maps which show what the world looked like at the time of the Medici in the 16th Century. Tours of the Palazzo are available in several languages, although it is advised to call ahead to reserve a spot and find out times as tours in English are infrequent and fill up quickly. Some practical information for your visit:
· Tickets cost €6.00 or €4.50 reduced
· Flash photography is prohibited
· The Palazzo is open 9:00 until 19:00 every day except Thursdays and Sundays when it closes at 14:00
· There is a security screening before entering the Palazzo, which can cause lines to be long.
Continuing around the square from Palazzo Vecchio we can see an area of wide arches with several statues underneath. This is called the Loggia dei Lanzi and was built between 1376 and 1382. With the completion of the Galleria degli Uffizi, the roof of the Loggia was turned into a terrace where the Medici could watch the ceremonies and happenings in Piazza Signoria. Today it is the café of the Galleria degli Uffizi and you can sit outide under the shadow of Palazzo Vecchio with an extremely overpriced caffe, if you wish. The area underneath the Loggia is home to many statues from the Renissance and is definitely worth wandering through, especially since it is free.
Looking to the left of Palazzo Vecchio we can see the large Fountain of Neptune which was constructed from 1563-1565. The face of Neptune in the statue is reminicent of Cosimo I de’ Medici and is representative of the Florentine rule over the seas. Over its life, the statue has been vandalized several times including most recently in 2005 when one of the hands of Neptune was cut off.
Finally, with the fountain behind you look on the ground to the front and left. Search until you find a small marble plaque on the ground. This small circle refers to Girolamo Savonarola who was the leader of Florence for four years from 1494 to 1498. Savonarola had taken over power in Florence after the Medici were overthrown by Charles VIII of France in 1494, and immediately began what could be described as a ‘crackdown on the Renissance’. Savonarola carried out the Bonfire of the Vanities which destroyed items that were associated with sin such as mirrors, cosmetics, fine dresses, paintings, playing cards, and musical instruments. Savonarola quickly lost favor with the populace and was excommunicated by Pope Alexander VI in 1497. This lead to his death on May 23, 1498 at the same spot the Bonfire of the Vanities had occurred a year earlier which is exactly where this plaque now sits. These events allowed the Medici to resume control of Florence in 1512.
Practical Information
· There are several ATMs located around the square so finding one should not be a problem.
