FLORENCE (ITALY)
In the zone of the city’s historical center one can see typical small streets with luxurious palaces stretching along them –– classical patterns of medieval architecture, which made Florence famous. The names of these streets are sometimes related to different historical and dramatic episodes. For instance, De Neri Street bears its name after the famous Neri family, which lived there during Medici’s rule. A Francesco Neri saved Lorenzo Manifico from an attempted assassination and protected Lorenzo from the daggers of his enemies by his body faithfully sacrificing his life for him. In Florence there is a Russian church, the façade of which is very similar to the Saint Basil’s Cathedral on the Red Square in Moscow. It is located on a bank of an upper stream of the Arna River, to the right from Fortezza da Basso.
Signioria Square, one of the most beautiful squares of the city, is the political center of Florence. The Square has been playing this role since the middle ages. The square received its name after Palazzo del Signioria, later Palazzo Veccio.
In the center of the square there are Neptune fountain by Ammannati and an equestrian statue of Cosimo I Medici by Gianbologni. A round marble plate on the ground nearby marks the place where on May 23 of 1498 Savonarola was burned on a stake. Signioria Square is surrounded by a number of buildings built in XIV-XVI centuries. Among them it is worth noting the trade court (1359) and Palazzo Ugucconi, the façade of which is believed to be designed by Rafael. In the neighboring building there is Alberto Della Ragione Collection. In the 21st hall of the Palace around 250 works by modern Italian artists are kept. In 1970, the collection was given to the city as a gift. In the process of restoration works in 1980 on the square foundations of antique houses were found. When the archeologists dug out numerous cultural layers, under remains of the buildings dating back to Roman period, they were able to find settlements of the Stone Age. That means that people settled on the banks of the Arna River long before the Romans did. Many interesting discoveries were made under medieval houses. Several hot-bath pools and even a tailor shop were found. This discovery proves that long before the economical boom in XII-XIII centuries, which enriched “the city of the flower” and allowed to invest lots of money in development of the arts, crafts played an important role in Florence’s history and economy.
On Signioria Square there is magnificent Palazzo Veccio, in front of which there are a number of sculptures, including the famous copy of David by Michelangelo. Palazzo Veccio means “old palace.” The Palace received its name for discerning it from the new Plazzo Pitty, to which the Medici family moved after living in the old one for several years. Palazzo Veccio’s author is believed to be Arnolfo di Cambio. Palazzo looks on Signioria Square and is located near Logia dei Lanzi. Palazzo Veccio in its today’s form is a result of several construction stages in the period of time from XIII until XVI centuries. The first stage is the initial construction of the building by Arnolfo di Cambio, which began in 1299. Since the time of its construction, the palace was the residence of Priors of Florence’s Guilds, thus, playing the role of the residence of the city’s authorities. In 1343, Palazzo was enlarged for Duke of the Athens. Another reconstruction of the Palace occurred in 1495 by master Simone Del Pollagiollo nicknamed Kronaka. Another reconstruction took place in 1511. The interior of the building was significantly changed by architect Vasari in 1540-1543. It was done for Cosimo I Medici, who moved into Palazzo with his family soon after that. The goal of reconstruction was to adjust the Palace to its new role –– the place of the meetings of a new government and the residence of the ruling family.
Later, reconstruction of the interior of the building was carried out by Buontalenti in 1588-1592. All the reconstructions significantly changed the inner and rear parts of the palace, leaving only the massive façade in its initial form, which consisted of big blocks and asymmetrically built watchtower towering over Signioria Square 94 meters high. After the Medici family moved into Palazzo, the palace even more strengthened its position as the main public building of Florence. The significance of Palazzo as the political center of the city starting from 1565 during the next three hundred years gradually decreased; this role was taken over by Uffizi and Palazzo Pitty, where the rulers of Florence –– the Medici –– moved. Only since the second half of the XIX century, when Florence became the capital of Italy for a while (1865-1871), Palazzo Veccio again comes up into the first rank: the government of Italy and the House of Deputies resided here (the Senate seated in the neighboring building of Uffizi, which was connected to Palazzo Veccio by a special bridge –– a corridor via Della Ninga).
Apart from that, Palazzo Veccio is a museum. The visitors can see the Hall of Five Hundred (Salone dei Cinquecento), a small office of Francesco I and four historical facilities: the apartments of the Elements (Quartiere degli Elementi), the quarters of Eleanora of Toledo, the residence of the Priors, the rooms of Leo X, where nowadays reception offices of the mayor are. The hall of the two hundred is used for presiding of the city council and is closed for general public. Visitation begins with the elegant inner yard of Palazzo built in the second half of XV century with white-gold molding and frescoes of XVI century. From there you get to the old arsenal where at the present time exhibitions are held quite often.
Palazzo Pitty Arts Gallery or, as often called, Galleria Palatino cannot compete with the biggest museums of the world neither by its volume, nor by its collection. The palace was built by a banker Luke Pitty in XV century. After Pitty went broke the building was taken over by the Medici family. They perfected the palace; they kept their collection of the works of art of the Baroque and Renaissance epochs there (now this collection is exhibited in Palatino Gallery). In the palace there are museums such as: the museum of modern art, the museum of silvery, the museum of coaches and the museum of clothes. Boboly Gardens encompass the palace. They were planted on the Medici family’s order in 1500. There are wonderful monuments in the palace such as Grotto del Buontalenti amphitheater and a little island with statues depicting folk dancing.
The Lanci Loggia is a construction looking onto Signioria Square of striking beauty being a pattern of later Gothic; it has several names. It is believed that it received its name in the memory of Landsknechts –– German soldiers, who guarded Grand Duke Cosimo I. The Logia also has the name Signioria, since it was designated for official meetings of the Signioria. And finally, its third name is Logia Orcani; Orcani was originally the author of the Loggia’s design. The Lanci Logia was built by architects Benci De Chione and Simone Tallenti between 1376 and 1382. The sculptures within the Logia strike with their beauty. Among them are: “Persey” by Cellini (1553), “the Abduction of the Sabinians” by Giomboloni (1583), ancient Greek sculpture “Ajax with the body of Patrocles,” “the Abduction of Polixen” by Pio Fedi (1866). In the center of the Logia there is a sculptural group “Hercules and Centaur” also made by Giomboloni in 1559. There are six antique female statues at the back wall of the Logia.
The Uffizi Gallery is rightfully one of the most famous and richest treasuries of the World’s Art due to its unique exposition of different Italian schools of art. First of all, those of Florence and Venetia. Not only so, the gallery contains priceless exhibits of antique sculpture and mosaics. The author of this project is Georgio Vasari, who began construction of the building in 1560; it was originated by the Medici family, whose contribution into Florence as the world center of art is truly beyond estimation. But from a fully administrative building designed by Vasari (which explains its name Uffizi) by efforts of the Medici it turned into the richest collection of the works of art. Since 1737, the museum became the nation’s possession after Anna Maria Ludowika – the last representative of the Medici family – gave it as a gift to the city. Uffizi is the vastest collection of arts in Italy. There are paintings by Chimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini, Rafael, Pierro della Francesca, Ducco, Boticcelli, Michelangelo, Montengy, Titian and many others here. Works by many famous foreign artists are also presented here. Among the masterpieces of the Uffizi gallery there are: “the Glad Tidings” by Leonardo da Vinci, “the Worship of the Shepherds” by Lorenzo di Credit, the portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbin by Pierro della Francesca, “Madonna with the Baby” and “the Saints” by Girlandaghio, “Madonna in glory” (Magnificat) and “Spring” by Botticelli.