FLORENCE Country: Italy Region: Tuscany Province: Florence Area

Created by: Claudia Cambi Orel Tassat Alessio Amato Giulia Terreni Jessica Chiti FLORENCE I.T.C. “CATTANEO” SAN Country: Italy MINIATO Region: Tuscany Province: Florence Area: 102.41 km2 Population: 368.362 Our tour ends with the visit to the famous Basilica of Santa Croce, built by Arnolfo di Cambio in the 13th century. It has a splendid Neo-Gothic façade and contains some beautiful paintings by Giotto and a lovely stone Tabernacle by Donatello. It also houses the funeral monuments to many famous Italians such as Galileo Galilei, Michelangelo Buonarroti ,Gioacchino Rossini, Ugo Foscolo, Niccolò Macchiavelli and Dante Alighieri. If you want to get a breathtaking view of the city and the surrounding hills , you can go to Piazzale Michelangelo, an enormous panoramic terrace situated on the hills in the southern part of Florence. 14 1 Our walking tour continues towards Florence was the capital of the Kingdom Ponte Vecchio, which stands on the bank of Italy. It is one of the main squares in of the River Arno and is the oldest Florence. Here we can see a column bridge in Florence. It has existed since called “Colonna dell‟ Abbondanza”, which Roman times but it was last rebuilt by marks the site where there was a Roman Neri di Fioravante in 1345. It is an “Cardus” and the Roman “forum”. elegant structure with three arches, In the Middle Ages the area around the two terraces and two rows of houses on column was densely populated and there both sides.In the centre of the bridge were many churches, monasteries and th the buildings are interrupted and an buildings. In the 18 century the square opening allows a fine view of the River was enlarged and Medieval towers, Arno and the other bridges . Here you churches, workshops and houses were can admire “Benvenuto Cellini‟s Bust”. destroyed. Piazza della Repubblica is Above the buildings, there is the famous home to the historical “Caffè Gilli”, Vasari Corridor, built by Vasari for “Caffè Paskowski” and “Caffè delle Cosimo I dei Medici to go from Palazzo Giubbe Rosse”, which were meeting Pitti to Palazzo Vecchio. Nowadays the places for famous artists and writers in bridge is lined with expensive shops, the first decade of the 20th century. souvenir shops and goldsmiths, jewellers The street that connects this square to and silversmiths‟ workshops. Piazza del Duomo is Via Roma. It was the centre of the city‟s economic life in Roman times; now it is lined with 19th century buildings, expensive and exclusive shops and boutiques and famous hotels and cafés. Via Strozzi connects Piazza della Repubblica and Via dei Tornabuoni, one of the most luxurious streets in the city center. The street, which has been the most elegant street in Florence since From Ponte Vecchio it is easy to reach La Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, also the Renaissance, is lined with known as La Loggia del Porcellino, Renaissance Palaces such as Palazzo where a market of typical Florentine Feroni and Palazzo Tornabuoni, ancient handicrafts is held every day. buildings, expensive cafés and famous designers‟ shops like “Gucci” and Walking down Via Calimala we get to “Tiffany”. Piazza della Repubblica. This square 13 was built in the 19th century when 2 Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is located on the River Arno and is THE ANNUNCIATION surrounded by the gentle hills of the Apennines. It is the cultural heart of Italy and it has a great reputation for art, literature, architecture and science. Florence is known as the Cradle of the Renaissance, because many famous artists such as Leonardo ,Donatello and Michelangelo lived and created stunning works of art in this city. In the 15th century Florence was an important trade centre and was considered the new cradle of Italian and European culture. This was the city‟s most flourishing period for art, culture, The Annunciation is another important politics and trade. In 1860 the city was masterpiece painted by Leonardo and annexed to the Kingdom of Italy, of Verrocchio from 1472 to 1475. The which Florence was the capital from technique used is oil on panel. In this painting there is a Virgin and an Angel. 1865 to 1871. HISTORY The Angel is sitting on the grass while Florence was founded by the Romans in the Virgin is sitting on a brown chair 59 B.C. and was called Florentia. After and she is opening a book with her right the Barbarian invasions of the 5th and hand. The two women are wearing very 6th centuries, the city was restored to elegant clothes. The Angel is wearing a its former dignity by the Carolingians. white and red robe while the Virgin is In 1183 Florence became a Free wearing a red and blue dress. In the Commune. The first clashes between background there are a lot of trees and two factions: the Guelphs, who flowers . They are in a garden, probably supported the Emperor and the the Virgin‟s garden. The colours used Ghibellines, who supported the Pope, are quite light. date back to those years. Despite the unstable social and political situation, this period witnessed an upsurge in the arts and literature. This was the time of 3 Dante, Giotto and Arnolfo di Cambio. 12 THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST ITINERARY where we can admire three marvellous buildings: the Baptistery, the Our walking tour starts with Piazza Cathedral, dedicated to Santa Maria del Santa Maria Novella, one of the Fiore, and Giotto’s Bell Tower. biggest squares in the centre of The Baptistery, which stands in front of Florence. The Church of Santa Maria the Cathedral, is dedicated to St. John Novella with its famous Leon Battista the Baptist, Patron Saint of Florence. It Alberti‟s façade overlooks the square. was first built as a church dedicated to th th Its Gothic marble façade is decorated St. John between the 4 and 5 with the Ruscellai Family‟s Coats of centuries so it is one of the oldest Arms. Inside the church there are many buildings in Florence. It has a white and works of art, such as Masaccio‟s green marble façade and three bronze “Trinity”, a Crucifix by Giotto and doors decorated by Andrea Pisano and frescoes by Botticelli. Ghiberti. The door of the eastern side of the Baptistery, known as “Porta Del This unfinished masterpiece was The Baptism of Christ was painted by Paradiso”, and considered one of the originally commissioned to Leonardo Da Leonardo da Vinci with his teacher greatest masterpieces of 15th- century Vinci in March 1481. The technique used Verrocchio from 1472 to 1475. The sculpture, has three panels representing is oil on wood. In this painting, Mary is technique used is oil on wood. In the “Ghiberti‟s Stories from the Old sitting with the Christ-Child in the middle of this painting there is Jesus Testament”. who is christened and near Jesus there centre of the composition. She is in are St.John the Baptist and two Angels front of a rocky landscape, surrounded by a large number of people, whose on the corner. In the background there identity remains unclear. In the are rivers, trees and God‟s hands in the foreground the three Wise Men, who sky . The colours used are light .The two Angels are wearing pale blue clothes, followed the Star of Bethlehem on their Jesus is the only person who is almost journey from the East, kneel to worship Walking down Via Panzani and Via dei naked. St.John the Baptist is wearing the Christ -Child. In the background we Cerretani, two of the most famous brown and white clothes. He is holding a can see the ruins of King David‟s Palace streets in Florence, lined with ancient very big cross and he is blessing Jesus. and people on horseback who are buildings, shops, hotels, restaurants and fighting. Leonardo‟s Adoration cafés, we reach Piazza del Duomo, represents the moment when the second King offers his gift to the Christ-Child who willingly received it. The colours used are very light. Yellow is the main colour in the painting, but the trees and 4 some characters are brown. 11 The Cathedral of Santa Maria del As soon as we enter this beautiful Savonarola were imprisoned, and from Fiore stands in front of the Baptistery. palace we can admire a nice courtyard which it is now possible to enjoy a The building was started by Arnolfo di surrounded by an elegant porch whose magnificent view of the city. Cambio in 1296 and completed by walls were frescoed by Vasari. In the A trip to Florence has to include a visit famous artists such as Giotto, Andrea centre there is a fountain by Francesco to the Uffizi Gallery, which is the Pisano and Brunelleschi in the following Del Tadda. oldest art gallery in the world and one centuries. Its white, green and pink of the greatest in Europe. The Uffizi Gothic-style façade dates back to the Gallery was begun by Vasari for Cosimo 19th century and it has three bronze I dei Medici in 1560 and completed by portals with mosaic decorations and Parigi and Buontalenti in 1580. The statues. The cathedral contains many gallery has 45 rooms and houses very works of art such as Luca Della Rabbia‟s Outside the Cathedral we can admire beautiful works of art by Italian and “Resurrection of Christ” and “Ascension” Giotto’s Bell Tower, which is a foreign artists like Giotto, Cimabue, and Giotto‟s “Madonna”. Over the altar wonderful example of Florentine Gothic Masaccio, Raffaello, Rubens, Rembrandt, there is a magnificent crucifix architecture.

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