Florence
The city of Florence is the capital city of Tuscany and is also its most populous city. The city is situated on the Arno River and covers an area of thirty-nine square miles. Florence has a population of over three hundred thousand residents. It was originally founded in 59 B.C. by Julius Caesar to be used as a retirement settlement for his most veteran soldiers. Which is why the city is built in the style of an army encampment. In the 1940′s Florence suffered from an extended German occupation. In 1944, as British and American forces pushed the Germans from the city, the retreating Nazi army decided to blow up many of the bridges along the Arno River. After the war, Florence started rebuilding the bridges, trying to use as much of the original materials as possible. This has resulted in many of the affected districts being rebuilt in a mixed style of modern and ancient designs. The climate of Florence leans toward a Mediterranean climate. The summers tend to be humid and hot with sparse rainfall. The winters tend to be somewhat cool and damp.
Since there is no prevailing winds, the temperatures of Florence during the summer months tend to be higher than other cities that are located on the coast. Florence is a city that is known for its classic Renaissance style architecture and for its thriving tourist trade. As a matter of fact, tourism is one of the primary economic activities in the city. But, Florence has also become known for other industries as well. It is considered to be the center of fashion and it also has a thriving wine growing region. One of the most popular landmarks in all of Florence is the Florence Cathedral. This church was built in the Gothic style during the fifteenth century. The outside of the church is laid with marble panels in shades of pink and green. This church, as is most of the area around it, is a World Heritage Site and attract a large number of tourist each and every year. This church is also the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence. The interior of this church is done in a very sparse Gothic style but it does have some very interesting works of art in it. These include the Dante and the Divine Comedy by Domenico di Michelino, and the Funerary Monument to Sir John Hawkwood by Paolo Uccello. Another popular church in Florence is the Basilica of Santa Croce.
This is a Franciscan church that was built in the thirteenth century. This is considered to be one of the largest Franciscan churches in the world. It includes sixteen chapels that are decorated with various frescoes. The floorplan of the church is four hundred and forty five feet long with two aisles and the nave separated by columns that have eight sides. Artist that have work represented in the church include Benedetto da Maiano, Antonio Rossellino, Giorgio Vasari, Bernardo Rossellino, Santi di Tito, Domenico Veneziano, Andrea della Robbia, Henry Moore and Giotto. Another great church is the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. This Dominican church was built during the thirteenth century. The main features of this church include the Gondi Chapel, Cappella Strozzi di Mantova, Della Pura Chapel, Rucellai Chapel, Bardi Chapel, Sacristy and the Spanish Chapel. Other churches and basilicas in Florence include San Lorenzo, Santo Spirito, Orsanmichele and the Tempio Maggiore Great Synagogue of Florence. One of the great attractions of Florence is the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno. This was founded by the Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1563.
It was the first drawing academy established in Europe and promotes the safeguard of Italian works of art. Another important landmark is the Piazza della Libertŕ. This is the triumphal arch of Florence that was erected in 1738. Its a popular location for ice skating during the winter. The Florence Baptistry is a basilica that was built during the twelveth century. This building has an octagonal shape and is composed of sandstone that is overlaid with marble. The outside of this church is also adorned with several statues. Another important attraction in the city is the Piazza della Signoria. This is still considered to be a very important gathering location for both tourist and Florentines alike. Prominent features of the square include the Palazzo Vecchio, which is the town hall of Florence. Other features include the Loggia dei Lanzi, Tribunale della Mercanzia, Palazzo Uguccioni and the Palazzo delle Assicurazioni Generali. This square also contains many beautiful and historic statues. These include The Fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati, “Hercules and Cacus” by Bandinelli, “The Rape of the Sabine Women” by Giambologna and “Perseus with the Head of Medusa” by Cellini. One of the largest churches in Florence is the Basilica of San Lorenzo.
It is the burial place for all members of the Medici family. This church was consecrated in 393 and is considered to be a milestone in the history of Renaissance architecture. Florence is also home to one of the most famous art museums in the Western world, the Uffizi Gallery. This gallery is located in Palazzo degli Uffizi and was built during the sixteenth century. This museum covers an area of sixty four thousand square feet and contains many important works of art. Some of the works collected here include The Ognissanti Madonna by Giotto, The Annunciation by Simone Martini, The Battle of San Romano by Paolo Uccello, the works Diptych of Duke Federico da Montefeltro and Duchess Battista Sforza of Urbino by Piero della Francesca, the works of Primavera, The Birth of Venus, The Adoration of the Magi and others by Sandro Botticelli and The Adoration of the Magi by Leonardo da Vinci. Artist such as Michelangelo, Raphael, Rembrandt and Caravaggio are also represented by the works in their collection. Florence is also known for its restaurants and fine hotels. The city also has many nice shopping districts where everything from the latest fashions to handmade crafts can be purchased. |
