Category: tuscany
Articles in » tuscany
Palio di Siena
The race, which is one of the most popular Italian customs commences every year on Piazza del Campo in the center of Siena. There are ten players each one representing different part of the city called Contrada. As there are 17 historical Contradas, the special drawing chooses which of the district can take place in [...]
Cappelle Medicee
The part of church San Lorenzo called The Medici Chapels preserves the mortal remains of Medici family members is also the place, when you can admire one of the best of Michelangelo’s sculptures prepared for tombstones of two Medici princes: Lorenzo and Giuliano.The Miechelangelo masterpieces and so the tombstones are located in La Sagrestia Nuova ( the New Sacristy). Six other princes rest in Cappella dei Principi, while the grave of the founder of Medici family Cosimo il Vecchio is located in the separate crypt on the right side of the church.
Palazzo Davanzati
Palazzo Davanzati also known as Museo della Casa Fiorentina Antica is a typical example of living quarters of rich Florentine family from 14th century. Originally build for Davazzi family of wool merchants moved to the hands of Davanzati in 1578, who owned the place for almost three centuries. At the beginning of 20th century the [...]
Santa Maria Novella
In 1221 the Dominican Order received land in Florence arounf the old 9th century oratory of Santa Maria delle Vigne. The monks have decided to build the cloisters and the new long church on the spot of the former one, hence the name of the new church – Santa Maria Novella. Designed by two Dominican [...]
Palazzo Vecchio in Florence
The palace on Piazza della Signoria has been build at the turning of 13th century for Priors of the Arts and Gonfaloniere di Giustizia the representatives of Signoria of Florence. At the beginning the building was called the Palazzo della Signoria, or Palazzo del Popolo, when Cosimo I decided to move with his court to [...]
San Marco in Florence
San Marco Monastery founded in 13th century has been heavily rebuild, when in 1437 Cosimo il Vecchio invited there the Dominican monks from nearby Fiesole. Large sums were paid for rebuilding works directed by Cosimo’s fovourite architect Michelozzo. The task of adorning the walls of the monastery has been commissioned to Beato Angelico, who after [...]
Ponte Vecchio
The Old ‘Vecchio’ Bridge is indeed the oldest from the Florentine bridges, and the only one that survived from World War II. The present bridge, replaced the old one destroyed by the Arno flood in 1333. Since the beginning on the bridge were plenty of small shops butcheries, smiths and cobblers manufactures, who dump their [...]
Giardino di Boboli
When in 1549 Eleonora di Toledo acquired Palazzo Pitti, she bought also the adjacent land belonging to Boboli family, the Boboli hill with stunning view of Florence. The garden has been designed by Tribolo,the student of Michelangelo, and after his death the work was finished by Ammannati. The park is one of the most spectacular [...]
Palazzo Pitti
Situated on the south side of the River Arno, connected with Ponte Vecchio by the famous Corridoio Vasariano, the palace has been originally build as a residence of Luca Pitti, a Florentine banker. The windows of palazzo were designed to be bigger than main entrance to the rivals property – Palazzo Medici. The over ambitious [...]
Palazzo del Bargello
Palazzo del Bargello which host the National Museum collection is one of the oldest municipal buildings in Florence. It has been build in 1255 as the residence of Capitanato del Popolo, The present name has the origins from 16th century, when the palace became the home for Capitano del Giusticia nicknamed Bargello. For a long [...]
Galleria dell’Accademia
In 1784 Pietro Leopoldo established l’Accademia di Belle Arti ( Fine Arts Academy ) in the former properties of the convent of San Niccolò di Cafaggio and hospital of San Matteo ( St.Mathias ). The part of the hospital building called Loggia di San Matteo has been occupied by the Academy’s Gallery, the collection of [...]
Cappella Brancacci
Cappella dei Brancacci is a side chapel in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Florence. The chapel has been founded in the late 14th century by Pietro di Piuvichese Brancacci, and later decorated with two layers of the frescoes commissioned by his descendant Felice Brancacci at the workshop of Masolino da Panicale in [...]
Loggia dei Lanzi
The Loggia dei Lanzi, located on a corner of the Piazza della Signoria, has been built between 1376 and 1391 by Benci di Cione and Simone Talenti in Late Gotic ‘Florentine’ style.
Firenze Florence in Tuscany
The city of Florence and its inhabitants, the Florentines, are famous all over the world. The architecture of the buildings in the city conveys a foreboding impression, with its palaces looking more like fortresses built in the harsh Medici style. Having said this, one must remember these buildings were, in the first place, erected to [...]
