Wikimecum:Florence
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Florence, Firenze in Italian, is a beautiful city located in the Tuscany region of Italy. The city is only 3.5 hours from Venice by train, and makes a great day trip. Florence has a rich history, and is famous for its vast collection of art and culture. Florence is regarded by many as the birthplace of the Italian renaissance, and contains many pieces from this period. The Medici family controlled the city for hundreds of years, and commissioned works from some of the most skilled artists in history. Included in this list are Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli.
Most of Florence’s sites can be seen in one day, with plenty of time to visit a museum or two. The most impressive structure by far is the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral, known as The Duomo. This cathedral is the fourth largest in the world, and its dome is the largest ever built with brick and mortar. The most impressive feature of this cathedral is the design on its façade and bell tower.
The Piazza della Signoria, contains some incredible statues, including Bartolomeo Ammanati’s famous Fountain of Neptune. This was also the site of Michelangelo’s David, until it was replaced by a reproduction. The original can still be found in Florence, but is protected from the elements in the Accademia dell’Arte del Disegno. The museum known as the Accademia, was built specifically for this statue, and costs €10 to enter. There was not much else to see except for some other sculptures, but it was worth it for me to see the original David. Apparently at some times of the year you need a reservation, but we had no problem a few weeks before Thanksgiving.
Florence’s other famous site is the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) which spans the Arno River, and is one of the oldest in Italy. It is also notable, since it is the only bridge in Florence not destroyed during World War II. Like the Rialto, stores are located on the bridge, but for the past few hundred years only gold and jewelry shops are allowed.
Throughout the city many museums house Florence’s rich collection of art, such as the Uffizi which is the most popular. Other options include the Palatina gallery, the Bargello Tower, the chapels of the Medicis, and Buonarroti’s house.
A great way to end the day is to cross the Arno River, and walk up the hill to the Piazza Michelangelo. This location offers a great view of the city, and is beautiful during sunset. This is also the site of the third David in Florence, a giant bronze reproduction.
We left Venice around 6:00 AM, and arrived in Florence around 9:30 AM, after a full day of sightseeing and wondering we took a 8:00 PM train and made it back to Venice by midnight.
--Alarsen
See Also
References:
[1] Florentine Art and Architecture