Created by:

Claudia Cambi

Orel Tassat Alessio Amato Giulia Terreni Jessica Chiti

FLORENCE I.T.C. “CATTANEO” SAN Country: MINIATO Region: Tuscany Province:

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 , an enormous panoramic terrace situated on the hills in the southern part of Florence.

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Our walking tour continues towards Florence was the capital of the Kingdom , 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 the buildings are interrupted and an buildings. In the 18th 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 . 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 From Ponte Vecchio it is easy to reach most elegant street in Florence since La Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, the Renaissance, is lined with also 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 , 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”. centre of the composition. She is in who is christened and near Jesus there are St.John the Baptist and two Angels front of a rocky landscape, surrounded on the corner. In the background there by a large number of people, whose 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 ‟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 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. The Bell Tower was Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci. attributed to Benedetto da Maiano. designed and begun by Giotto, the Here we can admire a lot of paintings famous painter and architect, but when from the 13th to the 18th centuries such he died, he had only completed the Near the courtyard there are two as Botticelli‟s “ Allegory of Spring”, lowest part so it was finished by Andrea flights of stairs leading to the lovely Sandro Botticelli‟s “The Birth of Venus”, Pisano and Francesco Talenti a few Salone dei Cinquecento decorated by a Piero della Francesca‟s “Portrait of years later. The building is 84.7 metres team of painters chosen by Vasari. Federico da Montefeltro”, Duccio di tall, it has five levels and 414 steps and Michelangelo‟s sculpture of “Victory” is Buoninsegna‟s “Maestà”, Filippo Lippi‟s it is decorated with relief panels, lovely on the long wall on the right. A door “Madonna and Child with Two Angels”, columns and mullioned windows with two leads to the , Botticelli‟s “Primavera” and Giotto‟s or three lights. the Tesoretto of Cosimo I and the “Madonna in Glory”. One of the most Salone dei Duecento by Giuliano and important rooms is Room 15 , which Benedetto da Maiano and the State contains Leonardo Da Vinci‟s paintings The famous Brunelleschi’s Dome, Apartments, which include many rooms including “The Annunciation” ,“ the dominating the skyline of Florence with full of paintings and frescoes. The Hall Adoration of Magi” and “The Baptism of its eight white ribs against a background of the Gigli, so called because it is Christ”. of terracotta tiles, was frescoed by decorated with golden “fleur de lis” on a th Vasari in the 16 century. A passage set blue field, leads to the “Sacristy”, which in the dome leads to the frescoes and to houses the portrait of Niccolò the lantern at the top of the Cathedral. Macchiavelli by Santi di Tito. In the adjacent clock-room there is the large Map of the World by Danti. A staircase leads to the Quarter of the 10 5 Mezzanino, where Cosimo the Elder and After the visit to this gallery, we walk Hercules and the Centaur and Cellini‟s symbolize the defence of civil liberties down Via Dei Calzaiuoli, which is one of Perseus with the Head of Medusa. Behind the apse of the Cathedral there embodied in the Florentine Republic, an the most famous streets in Florence and is the Cathedral Museum, which houses independent city state threatened by is lined with ancient buildings, exclusive famous works of art such as more powerful rival states and by the shops, cafés and restaurants, and we Michelangelo‟s “Pietà” and Donatello‟s hegemony of the Medici Family. This reach . This “Mary Magdalen”. From Piazza del interpretation was also encouraged by square, which has been the political Duomo it is easy to reach the Academy the fact that the sculpture was placed centre of the city since the Middle Gallery, one of the most important outside Palazzo della Signoria, the seat Ages, is one of the most spectacular museums in Florence. The Academy of the Civic Government in Florence. squares in Italy. In Roman times there Gallery houses extremely important The completed sculpture was unveiled on were houses and theatres in this area, sculptures by Michelangelo. The room 8 September 1504. but at the end of the 13th century the that leads to the “Tribune” contains The room also contains an important square was enlarged and started to be Michelangelo‟s “Palestina Pietà”, “St. collection of paintings from the 13th to used for ceremonies, meetings and Matthew” and “Four Prisoners”. In the the 14th centuries. Three small rooms public executions. centre of the “Tribune” there is are located to the right of the Palazzo Vecchio, also known as Palazzo Michelangelo‟s “David”, a masterpiece of “Tribune” and contain various shrines Della Signoria, is the most important Renaissance sculpture. attributed to Bernardo Daddi and a fine civil building in Florence. It dates back “Pietà” by Giovanni da Milano. To the to the 13th century and it was designed left of the “Tribune” there are three by the great architect Arnolfo di small rooms containing works of art by th Cambio. The building is in rusticated famous 14 - century artists. The most ashlars of “pietra forte”, giving the remarkable are “Polyptych” by Andrea large three-storey building with its fine Orcagna, two series of panels mullioned windows with two lights within representing scenes from the “Life of round arches an air of severity. Christ” and scenes from the “Life of St. Francis” by Taddeo Gaddi. To the left of the “Tribune” there is also a large hall th containing 15 - century works of art The imposing complex of Palazzo including Lorenzo Monaco‟s Vecchio towers on the north side. To “Annunciation” and Filippino Lippi‟s”St. the right of the Palace there is the John the Baptist” and “Magdalen”. We lovely , a late Gothic The marble statue portrays the Biblical can also admire a collection of musical structure, which contains famous works King David in the nude. Unlike previous instruments owned by “The of art by Giambologna and Benvenuto depictions of David, which portray the Conservatorio Musicale L. Cherubini di Cellini. To the left of the square there hero after his victory over Goliath, Firenze” . is Ammannati „s Fountain of Neptune Michelangelo chose to represent David and Equestrian Statue of Cosimo I, before the fight contemplating the 6 9 Giambologna‟s Rape of the Sabines and battle yet to come. It came to

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