The Arno River runs through the center of Florence.
Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany,on Italy"s north-west coast.The cultural and historical impact of Florence is overwhelming.However,the city is one of Italy"s most atmospheric and pleasant,retaining a strong resemblanceto the small late-medieval center that contributed so much to the cultural and political development of Europe.
Where Rome is a historical hot-pot ,Florence is like stepping back into a Fiat and Vespa-filled Renaissance :the shop-lined Ponte Vecchio,the trademark Duomo,the gem-filled Uffizi Gallery,the turreted Piazza della Signoria and the Medici Chapels.
Duomo cathedral
The remarkable Duomo ,with its pink,white and green marble fa?ade and characteristic dome ,dominates the city"s skyline.The building took almost two centuries to build (and even then the facade wasn"t completed until the 19th century),and is the fourth-largest cathedral in the world.The enormous dome was designed by Brunelleschi,and its interior features frescoes and stained-glass windows by some of the Renaissance-era"s best:Vasari,Zuccari,Donatello,Uccello and Ghiberti.Take a deep breath and climb up to take a closer look,and you"ll be rewarded by fantastic views of the city and an insight into how the dome was so cleverly constructed - without scaffolding.The dome still defines the scale of the city,and no building in town is taller.
Bandinelli"s Hercules and Cacus can be found in Piazza della Signoria.
Florence (Italy)
The Arno River runs through the center of Florence.
Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany,on Italy"s north-west coast.The cultural and historical impact of Florence is overwhelming.However,the city is one of Italy"s most atmospheric and pleasant,retaining a strong resemblanceto the small late-medieval center that contributed so much to the cultural and political development of Europe.
Where Rome is a historical hot-pot ,Florence is like stepping back into a Fiat and Vespa-filled Renaissance :the shop-lined Ponte Vecchio,the trademark Duomo,the gem-filled Uffizi Gallery,the turreted Piazza della Signoria and the Medici Chapels.
Duomo cathedral
The remarkable Duomo ,with its pink,white and green marble fa?ade and characteristic dome ,dominates the city"s skyline.The building took almost two centuries to build (and even then the facade wasn"t completed until the 19th century),and is the fourth-largest cathedral in the world.The enormous dome was designed by Brunelleschi,and its interior features frescoes and stained-glass windows by some of the Renaissance-era"s best:Vasari,Zuccari,Donatello,Uccello and Ghiberti.Take a deep breath and climb up to take a closer look,and you"ll be rewarded by fantastic views of the city and an insight into how the dome was so cleverly constructed - without scaffolding.The dome still defines the scale of the city,and no building in town is taller.
Bandinelli"s Hercules and Cacus can be found in Piazza della Signoria.