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Firenze "Florence"
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DESTINATION
INFORMATION
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The main reason
most people come to visit Toscana is Firenze (also
known as Florence). "Florentia" the city’s
original name, was given by the Romans to this small
settlement located at the foot of the ancient Etruscan
Fiesole in the 1st century BC. The Etruscans of whom
we know very little, but for some reason who numerous
testimonies around about Firenze, settled on the hills
surrounding the plain of the river Arno as far back
as the 7th centuries BC.
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Piazza della
Republica |
At first erected as a Roman "castrum",
Florentia soon assumed the appearance of a real town
with a Forum, now Piazza della Repubblica, thermal
baths, via delle Terme, and amphitheater, via Tòrta.
The city was flourishing as a Roman suburb, then the
period of the decline of the Empire arrived. The city
remained occupied but really never expanded, older
structure were torn down for newer ones. That is why
today there are hardly any Roman ruins. Because of
the towns virtual unimportance at the time its history
is very sketchy. We know that for a time it was controlled
by the Lombard Empire and the Charlemagne for a while.
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Santa Maria
Novella, fin. 1357 |
The town, constituted as a Commune
at the beginning of the twelfth century, began to
expand until it spread over half of Arno valley and
surrounding hillsides. This is when Firenze began
to flourish in the history as we know it. Despite
the internal struggles, first between rival families
and then between the Guelfs (loyal to the Pope) and
the Ghibellines (loyal to the Emperor), from the thirteenth
century onwards it began to flourish as a city of
art, culture and international trading, reaching its
zenith in the fifteenth century under the Signoria
of Cosimo and Lorenzo dè Medici. After Lorenzo’s
death in 1492, Firenze witnessed a long period of
wars that led to the end of the Florentine Republic
and saw the birth of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, ruled
first by a younger branch of the Medici family and
following, by the Hapsburg-Lorena family. Despite
alternating events the Grand Duchy survived up until
the political unification of Italy, of which Firenze
was capital from 1865 to 1871. This marked the beginning
of a profound restructuring of the city that led to
the knocking down of the walls and the erasing of
several ancient quarters in the center that endowed
Firenze with its present-day appearance.
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Duomo di Firenze
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If anyone stops in Toscana it would
be a sin not to step foot in Firenze, every year countless
people flock to see one of the world’s finest cities
of art. There is so much history and tradition here
that any art historian would die for the opportunity
to delve into the back halls of some of the world’s
greatest museums.
How important is Florentine art?
Donatello, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo all
spent some time working in Firenze. There are countless
other great artists all of whom are mentioned in the
art history books and whose works can be seen all
over the city. Art pieces are showing up all over
the city, it is not uncommon for stores and boutiques
to uncover a Renaissance picture when they remodel
the building.
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David
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A city with such great history has
so many sites that it would take one at least a month
to see most of its beauty. So for those who do not
have the time to go everywhere there are a few select
spots one won’t want to miss. There are two museums
that come to mind right away each with its own unique
beauty. The first spot is the Uffizi Gallery.
You won’t want to miss some of the world’s greatest
paintings. You can see such paintings from the likes
of Rembrandt and Leonardo on display. Countless other
collections that will keep your day busy marveling
at their beauty. On the other spectrum we have the
Bargello museum Nazionale that is filled with
sculptured works. The famous works of Donatello such
as The David can be displayed in all its grandeur.
It is the perfect compliment to the Uffizi.
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If you want to see some beauty make
sure you stop by the Cathedral Baptistry and
Museum. Something interesting about the baptisteries
past is that every year on the 21st of March, which
is the New Year on the old Florentine calendar, all
the children born over the last 12 months would be
brought there for a great communal baptism. Thus is
what prompted it to become one of the great religious
and civic monuments in all of Italy.
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Santa Croce
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After that it would be wise to take
a stroll across the cities famous bridge the Ponte
Vecchio. It is said to be the only standing bridge
left from the old Firenze. For those of you who love
to see churches fear not, a stop by the Santa Croce,
Santa Maria del Carmine, and the monastery of
San Marco will show you another side of Firenze’s
beauty. Finally try and make it to the San Miniato
al Monte on the outskirts of town for its beautiful
breathtaking view of the whole city. Santa Maria
Novella finished in 1357, near the train station
is another enriching church that is easy to get to.
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Piazza della
Signora |
Firenze also has some of the worlds
most historic and beautiful Piazzas. Piazzas that
have remained unchanged since the days when Dante,
Michelangelo, Leonardo and Raffaello walked through
them. Piazza Della Repubblica, Piazza della Signora,
and Piazza del Duomo are all within a few blocks
of each other. Be sure to see the church of Orsanmichele
between them. On the other side of the Ponte Vecchio
are the Church of Santa Felicita and Palazzo
de Pitti.
Firenze is compact and most of the
sites are all within walking distance. Driving is
not recommended because the streets are very narrow
and some of them are closed to traffic in the historic
center, which makes following an roadmap very difficult.
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Click
here for Restaurants in Firenze
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