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Map of Florence

Florence is full of attractions from art galleries and museums, to beautiful cathedrals and glorious restaurants. We’ve picked our favourite attractions to help you plan your trip to Florence.

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Compass
Florence Map.

Michelangelo's David

Florence Cathedral

Ponte Vechio

Uffizi Gallery

Pitti Palazzo
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Michelangelo's David, Galleria dell'Academia

Michelangelo's David.
David's Head.
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Construction

Michelangelo’s David is considered by many to be a Renaissance masterpiece. The 17 ft statue was carved in marble and depicts the biblical figure of David.

 

Originally, the statue was intended to be placed on the roof of the Florence Duomo, but instead, it was positioned outside Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s town hall.

 

Work on the Carrara block, was undertaken by the Florentine sculptor Agostino di Duccio who only got as far as rough shaping. The block of marble remained neglected for quarter of a century until Michelangelo was commissioned to complete the piece at the age of 26 years old. He would continue to work on the massive statue for more than two years.

Moving David

Once complete, authorities realised the statue could not be raised onto the cathedral roof, so it was placed at the entrance of Palazzo Vecchio.

 

In the mid-1800s, small cracks began to appear on the leg of the statue, so David was moved to the Galleria dell’Academia for safekeeping.

Interpretation And Politics

The statue’s pose is unlike earlier depictions of David. David looks tense and most scholars believe this is a depiction of David before his victory over Goliath rather than after. His twisted body is supposed to represent movement, and his left-hand holds a slingshot, draped over his shoulder.

 

Due to David’s strong glare and powerful stance, the figure came to represent the civil liberties of the Republic of Florence. These political associations led to the statue being attacked twice; attacked with stones when it was first revealed, and later, a broken left arm after an anti-Medici riot.

Visitor Information

For the best price and to help avoid a long wait, we recommend you buy your tickets in advance of your visit to Florence, and directly from the Galleria dell’ Accademia website.

Where is Galleria dell’ Academia?
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Florence Cathedral

Florence Duomo.
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Where is Florence Cathedral?
Construction

Florence Cathedral was formally known as “Cathedral di Santa di Maria del Fiore” (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower). Building began as early as 1296 based on a design by Arnolfo di Cambio and wasn’t completed until 1436.

 

The building’s exterior is lined with striking polychrome, marble panelling in various shades of green and pink. This gothic façade was designed by Emilio De Fabris.

Brunelleschi's Duomo

After 100 years of construction work, the Cathedral was still missing a dome. Arnolfo di Cambio’s design called for an octagonal dome that was taller and wider than anything that had ever been built previously. Furthermore, the design included no external buttresses to secure the dome. Italian architects were of the view that buttresses were ugly additions to their designs. Furthermore, the use of buttresses was forbidden in Florence due to the style being favoured by their Northern enemies.

To solve these structural conundrums, Brunelleschi used sandstone, marble, and brick to ensure the dome was light and as easy as possible to form. To prevent the structure moving or spreading, Brunelleschi employed iron chains embedded within the inner dome. A circular masonry technique called “centering” was used, with each row of bricks laid in a horizontal arch to resist compression.

Many of Brunelleschi’s techniques are now grounded in accepted modern laws of mathematics and physics, but would not be calculated until centuries after his death.

The Last Judgement

The Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I de’ Medici decided he wanted the dome ceiling to be painted. The painting depicts “The Last Judgement”. Painting started in 1572 by Giorgio Vasari and was completed in 1579.

 

The quality and style of the work is variable, as Vasari was assisted by several other painters.

Visitor Information

Florence Cathedral is an extremely popular tourist destination and entrance to the Cathedral is free. Lines are long entering the Cathedral, but tend to move quickly.

If you want to visit the tower, dome, baptistry, or any other parts of the cathedral we advise you buy one of the passes on the Opera Duomo Firenze website.

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Ponte Vecchio

Ponte Vecchio Bridge
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Construction

Ponte Vecchio bridge has a rich and interesting history. It spans over the river Arno’s narrowest point and it was the first bridge to be built in Florence during the Roman times.

 

The bridge was initially built using wood, but it was destroyed in a flood in 1117, so it was reconstructed in stone.

Additions

In 1565, Cosimo I de’ Medici had a corridor attached to Ponte Vecchio that connected the bridge to his home, Palazzo Pitti.

 

To add to the bridge’s prestige it was decreed that only goldsmiths and jewellers were allowed to sell on the bridge. Previously a community of butchers had monopolized the space on the bridge deterring other merchants.

Visitor Information

It will be almost impossible to miss Ponte Vecchio on your trip to Florence. The bridge is situated in the centre of Florence and still acts as a main throughway between the North and South of the river.

Where is Ponte Vecchio?
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Ufizzi Gallery

Birth of Venus.
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Beginnings

The Ufizzi Gallery is one of the most prominent and renowned art galleries in the world. It is situated in the historic center of Florence beside Piazza della Signoria.

 

When the Medici family died, their art collections were gifted to the people of Florence and by 1765 the art gallery officially opened to the public.

Art

Today the Ufizzi is famous around the world for it’s colossal collection of renowned art pieces. The museum houses works such as; The Baptism of Christ (Andrea del Verrocchio), Madonna of the Goldfinch (Raphael), The Annunciation (Leonardo da Vinci), and probably most famous of all, The Birth of Venus (Sandro Botticelli).

Visitor Information

Save on costs by cutting out the middle man and buying tickets directly from the Uffizi museum, website. If you are travelling during the summer, be sure to book your ticket well in advance to avoid disappointment.

Try and go as early as possible so that the museum will be less crowded and you will have more time to enjoy the art.

Where is the Uffizi Gallery?
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Pitti Palazzo

Drawing of Pitti Palazzo.
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Early History & Owners

Pitti Palazzo is a Renaissance palace in Florence City. The core palace structure dates back to 1458 and was originally the residence of a Florentine banker. The palace was bought by the Medici family in 1549 and became the official ruling place for the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. 

 

Later the palace came into the hands of Napoleon who used it as a power base.

Construction

Though extremely impressive now, the early Palazzo would have been no contest for the Palazzo Medici.

 

The stonework and repeated arches on the Palazzo give the building a severe and strong appearance. There is a great deal of myth and legend around Pitti Palazzo. For whatever reason, it is believed that Pitti’s windows were instructed to be larger than the entrance to Palazzo Medici. 

 

When the Medici’s bought the palace, its size was nearly double at the rear. A corridor to Ponte Vecchio was added by the architect Vasari.

 

Later, land on the Boboli hill was acquired to build a large, formal garden on the hill beside the palace.

A vast collection of impressive artifacts are housed in Pitti Palazzo. The Palatine Gallery is the main gallery in the palace with 500 Renaissance paintings previously owned by the Medici family. The rooms that house the paintings and statues were decorated by Pietro da Cortona in the high baroque style.

 

The collection was opened to the public in the late 18th century and has become a top attraction for visitors to Florence.

Visitor Information

Pitti Palazzo is a fantastic visitor attraction that is highly worth visiting. Like all popular attractions in Florence, it helps to book tickets in advance of arrival. However, Pitti Palazzo is a large complex which means queues move quickly thanks to the building’s large capacity for visitors. You can book tickets directly from the Pitti Palazzo website.

Where is Pitti Palazzo?
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