Florence Art & Culture
Florence entices a large number of visitors from all across the globe, it is a city full of art & culture. During the Renaissance period, Florence developed squares and palaces which gradually became a museum.
Squares like Piazza Della Signoria displays fountains and statues, and the art & culture of Florence are famous mainly for the masterpieces by famous artists like Botticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo in the Uffizi Gallery.
Other well-known museums representing the art & culture of Florence include Palazzo Vecchio, Galleria dell’ Accademia and Pitti Palace.
The largest Cathedrals of Italy like Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo and the remarkable Duomo are located in Florence.
David of Michelangelo
David of Michelangelo is a magnificent piece of sculpture and has great political and social importance privileged of being known as the political symbol of Florence.
The theological context of the sculpture was abolished and transformed into secularism, by housing the David of Michelangelo in a museum and not in a Cathedral.
Michelangelo commissioned the work when he was only 26, and this work gained so much popularity and fame that it finally came to be known as “ David of Michelangelo”.
It is not only a masterpiece of the Renaissance but also the Florentine Republic’s symbol, the image is so strong that the followers of Medici threw stones at it.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
The Gothic architecture of Italy, Florence’s Cathedral is assigned to “Santa Maria del Fiore”, Arnolfo di Cambio designed the church.
The final touch of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was completed in 1367, the whole Cathedral was wrapped by shaded marble like the past Baptistery, but only the front part remained incomplete and end in the 19th century.
The feature that is remarkable in the exterior part of Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore is “Porta della Mandorla” and this name was given because of the glory that encircled the Virgin figure that Nanni di Banco sculptured.
The inside piece of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore saves significant works of art like Niccola da Tolentino and Condottiero Giovanni Acuto.
Dome of the Santa Maria de las Flores
Cupula de Santa Maria de las Flores located in Florence is one of the major tourist attractions in the whole of Italy, the construction of the architecture is in Gothic style and was done by Arnolfo di Cambio, but he could not finish the work until 1436.
The present building of the Cupula de Santa Maria de las Flores started in 1294 to replace Santa Reparata’s old Cathedral.
The proportions of the architectural compound are monumental most importantly in connection to the dome that is above mentioned.
The main thing that makes Cupula de Santa Maria de las Flores admiring is the 42.5 interior width, delegated it as the second biggest dome in the entire world.
Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence
Basilica of Santa Croce is the main church of Francis in Florence, constructed in the 13th century stands as an exemplar of Italy’s Gothic architecture.
The development of the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence began in 1294 and had gone through a ton of postponements, Pope Eugenius IV devoted it on 25th Walk 1443.
The architecture’s design considers the impact of the Gothic architecture of Italy, Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence is well-known for the frescoes coloured by the famous masters belonging to the 14th and 15th centuries like Masaccio, Ghirlandaio, Brunelleschi and Giotto. The frescos portray the life scenes of Saint Francis as well as the other saints of Francis.
Piazzale Michelangelo
Piazzale Michelangelo is not old but was added recently to the monuments list in Florence, Guiseppe Poggi the architect of Florence built it in the year 1869.
The terrace of Piazzale Michelangelo offers a panoramic view of the beautiful Florence city and the replica of the famous masterpiece Michelangelo is seen here.
The terrace was created to display famous sculptures, but unfortunately, the architecture could not fulfil its main purpose, the terrace has a coffee bar along with a restaurant.
Piazzale Michelangelo was restructured in 2016, to highlight the beauty of the terrace areas to provide the guests with better comfort and a view of the city.
Uffizi Gallery
Uffizi Gallery comprises the biggest collection of the Renaissance period in Italy, most importantly of the school of Florence.
It has unique sculptures, prints and drawings of more than 100,000. Cosimo I de Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany entrusted the architect and painter Giorgio Vasari to design an architecture for housing the government judiciary offices.
The Uffizi Gallery had been remodelled and enlarged many times but never erased the original design of Giorgio Vasari.
The museum consists of a voluminous and comprehensive collection of paintings belonging to the Mannerist and Renaissance ages.
The housing of artworks by Botticelli is unique and the Uffizi Gallery is a famous destination for travellers visiting Italy.
Pitti Palace
Pitti Palace was bought in 1550 and was chosen as the new residence of the Grand Ducal by Cosimo I de Medici as well as his better half Eleanor.
It also holds the two dynasties’ courts like the Kings of Italy and the House of Habsburg Lorraine by whom the Palace is inhabited since 1865.
The construction of the architecture began in the middle of 1400 by Florentine banker Luca Pitti and it still retained the name of the first holder.
At present, Pitti Palace is separated into historical centers: the primary floor contains the Gallery of Russian Symbols and the Depository of the Fabulous Dukes, the primary floor contains the Majestic and Imperial Condo and Palatine Gallery, and the subsequent floor includes the museum of Costume and Style and Gallery of Modern Art.
Giotto’s Bell Tower
Giotto’s bell tower ranks as one of the four chief memorials on the Piazza del Duomo, with a height of 84.7 metres and a breadth of approximately 15 metres.
This tower is the perfect example of Florence Gothic architecture belonging to the 14th century, wrapped in green, red and white marble just like the Chuch beside it, the bell tower is recognised as one of the most amazing domes in Italy.
It was designed more for decorative purposes than function, Giotto started it in the year 1334, he was done with only a portion of Giotto Bell Tower before his death in 1337.
Accademia Gallery
The Accademia Gallery conserves not only the David of Michelangelo but also four sculptures of slaves accredited by Pope Julius II as furnishing his grave and these sculptures are known as “The Prisoners”. The Accademia Gallery houses a wonderful collection of masterpieces from the 17th century, Renaissance and Medieval age, the museum has a private room for the musical tools of the Lorraine and Medici families.
The Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery are the most visited galleries in Florence and the whole world.
The most art piece that makes the Accademia Gallery gain International recognition is the sculpture David of Michelangelo.
Cappelle Medicee
The Medici conceit is not expressed so clearly as it is in the Medici Cappelle Medicee, decorated with semi-precious stones, marble, granite and a few famous sculptures.
It is the graveyard of members of 49 dynasties. Capelle Medicee form a portion of San Lorenzo’s monumental complex, the Cathedral of San Lorenzo was Medici’s official church.
The concept for a tomb of the family was initiated in 1520, while Michelangelo started working on the New Sacristy, it was Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici, the upcoming Pope Clement VII, who wanted to create a mausoleum for the family members like Guiliano (youngest son of Lorenzo), Lorenzo (grandson of Lorenzo) and others.
Basilica di San Lorenzo
Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of the most perfect exemplars of the architecture of the Renaissance, this incomplete basilica was the mausoleum and the church of Medici parish.
Brunelleschi designed the Basilica for Cosimo, in the year 1425 and was built over a Cathedral of the 4th century. In the interior of Basilica di San Lorenzo admire the wonderful Sagrestia Vecchia of Brunelleschi with the sculptural furnishing by Donatello.
Michelangelo was entrusted to design the front part in 1518, still, his design embedded in the marble of White Carrara was never implemented, therefore Basilica di San Lorenzo is unfinished and rough in appearance.
Opera del Duomo Museum
Opera del Duomo Museum was established in the year 1891, and the radical renovation of the museum was done in 2015. It is believed to be an educational way to explore the artists and places who offered a new life to the Opera’s monumental complex, Renaissance’s cradle.
Currently, Opera del Duomo Museum is one of the most significant museums in the globe for the innumerable collection and value of artworks.
This museum has housed the real art masterpieces that over seven centuries have furnished the memorials from Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, Donatello, Michelangelo and others.
Opera del Duomo Museum is also easy to visit for handicapped people, by offering a cumulative ticket.
Museo Galileo
Museo Galileo located in Florence is a museum that houses a collection of maps and scientific instruments showing the progression of Science since ancient times.
Museo Galileo originated in 1927, while the “Instituto di Storia della Scienza” was set up for the restoration, cataloguing and collection of scientific collections in Italy.
A national exhibition was arranged by it after two years and it was finally shifted to the Palazzo Castellani for showcasing permanently.
By the beginning of the 21st century, the collection of Museo Galileo included 5000 items, the telescope stands as the most important among them since Jupiter’s satellites were discovered with it as well as other important instruments used by Galileo.
The Baptistery of St. John
The origin of the Baptistery of St. John is still a mystery and is conceived to be constructed over the remnants of a Roman temple devoted to Mars back in the 4-5th century A.D.
It was initially delineated as a small Basilica in 897, known as the oldest theological memorial of Florence, its Baptistery was consecrated in 1128. Currently, the baptization of young children is done in the Baptistery of St.
John on the month’s first Sunday, but since they have time and space for 4, the request has to be made to them with a lot of time. The Baptistery that is dedicated to the patron saint of Florence, bears an octagonal lantern and an octagonal plan.
The Boboli Gardens
The Boboli Gardens is situated just behind the Pitti Palace, the garden’s layout is created by the Medici family giving the style of an Italian garden that would become a model for the courts of Europe.
The extensive greenery with a structured layout is an actual outdoor museum, with Renaissance and ancient sculptures.
The Boboli Gardens are additionally encircled by Caves and huge wellsprings like the wellspring of the Sea and the wellspring of Neptune.
In the wonderful terraced spot, a pavilion of the 18th century known as the Kaffeehaus is situated, a rare exemplar of the architecture of Rocco in Tuscany.
Basilica di Santo Spirito
The front part of the Basilica di Santo Spirito is an awesome backdrop for the open-air shows held in Summer.
In the interior part of the length of Basilica di Santo Spirito are chapels of 38 semicircular, the famous masterpieces that are worthy of looking at is “Madonna of the Relief” by Domenico di Zanobi in the Cappella Velutti. “Madonna with Child and Saints” by Filippino Lippi is in the right transept of Cappella Nerli.
Just underneath the Central dome lies the main altar, the tourists must not miss the left aisle that leads to the sacristy only to find a wooden crucifix which is poignantly ascribed to Michelangelo by a few experts.
Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine
Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine is a Cathedral constructed in the 13th century and is well-known for the painting in the chapel Brancacci, a basic work of art of the Renaissance period directed by Masolino and Masaccio.
The Cathedral is huge and retains ceiling paintings of vertigo-inducing by Domenico Stage, by whom the Giuseppe Romeo and trompe l’oeil have been done.
Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine has a window of stained glass offering Florence’s panorama, the interior part was reconstructed in 1782, in the baroque style of bog- standard developing into its present appearance.
The incomplete front portion was begun toward the start of the fifteenth 100 years.
Badia Florentina - Monastero
The abbey of Badia Florentina Monastero was established in 978 and devoted to the Virgin by Willa, Tuscany’s Marchioness and allocated to the Cassinese Benedictines.
In the Badia Florentine Monastero where Willa is buried and his remembrance is still alive by the ceremonies over the ceremonies as well as by the writings of the learned such as Paradiso by Dante.
The actual abbey stands at the margin of the earliest city walls and encountered a different way from the current architecture, with its Eastern three apses and frontage to the West.
The Abbey inherited or acquired innumerable properties, and the emperors and Popes should be thanked for the privileges and the donations that they made.
