Florence City Centre East Tuscany ITALY
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Florence City Centre East Vacation rentals and homes
Florence City Centre East
A lot of Florence was rebuilt in the Renaissance period, but the eastern part still feels medieval. It has many lanes and alleys, in one of these being the home of Dante, called Casa di Dante. Also in this maze of alleys and lanes is the Santa Margherita de’Cerchi where Dante married Gemma Donati in l285. In this part of Florence is the Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo, or cathedral, and many other historical buildings.
Florence City Centre East Vacation rentals and homes
Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
Recently restored
This museum has recently been restored, and in parts, some of the rooms have been set out to show the history of the Duomo. On display, too, are some the tools that Brunelleschi’s workmen would have used in the construction of the cathedral.
The Bargello, Florence
Italy’s first national museum and now home to a beautiful collection of Florentine Renaissance sculpture.
The Bargello, Florence was built in l255 as the town hall. Later, in the l6th Century, it became a prison where executions took place. It was named after the resident of the time, the bargello, or police chief.
Among some the most notorious people to be executed here was Bernardo Baroncelli in l478. He took part in a failed assassination of Lorenzo the Magnificent. The Bargello became Italy’s first national museum in l865 after being renovated and is now home to a beautiful collection of Florentine Renaissance sculpture.
Palazzo Nonfinito
The unfinished palace - home to material collected by Captain Cook
This means unfinished palace; the building was started in l593, but had not been finished when it became a museum in l869. It is now home to material collected by Captain Cook and an art collection from Italy’s former African colonies.
Museo Horne, Florence
This museum is housed in a typical Renaissance town house. The Alberti family built the house in l489, and had made their money from the city’s cloth trade.
Herbert Percy Horne, the English art historian, left the paintings and sculptures housed in the museum, to the city on his death.
A collection of Horne’s Renaissance pots and cooking utensils are on show in the museum.
Museo di Storia della Scienza, Florence
See the telescopes belonging to Galileo Galilei
Amongst the exhibits in this museum are telescopes belonging to Galileo Galilei who died in l642. These include the equipment used when he discovered the four moons of Jupiter. Some of his experiments in acceleration, motion, velocity and weight have been reconstructed here. Also in the museum is a medical section displaying wax models to teach obstetrics and some strange surgical instruments.
The Uffizi, Florence
The oldest gallery in the world.
The Uffizi was originally built in l560 as a suite of offices, around a U-shaped courtyard and is now the oldest gallery in the world.
It holds Italy’s greatest collection of art and is Florence’s main attraction. Giorgio Vasari started to design the building, but the work was later carried on by Buontalenti, after Vasari’s death.
Anna Maria Lodovica, the last member of the Medici family, stated in her will that the family’s art collection be left to the people and not to be moved from Florence.
Santa Maria del Fiore – the Duomo
One of the biggest and tallest buildings in Florence
Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral in the heart of the city. It is one of the biggest and tallest buildings in Florence, dating back to the l3th Century. The Baptistry is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, dating back to the 4th Century, the east doors being the work of Lorenzo Ghiberti. The mosaic ceiling depicts the Last Judgement and is situated above the font. Giotto designed the Campanile; it is 85 metres high and is covered in pink, green and white marble. The Crypt homes the remains of Santa Reparata, the 4th Century church, which was demolished in l296 for the cathedral to be built. The Dome was built by Brunelleschi, the largest to be built in its time without scaffolding. There are 463 steps to the top and affords beautiful views over the city. Santa Maria del Fiore is huge and will hold 20,000 people.
Florence City Centre East Vacation rentals and homes
Santa Croce, Florence
Michaelangelo's resting place
Many famous Florentines have been buried here in this beautiful Gothic church, including Michelangelo and Galileo. Other famous people buried here are Machiavelli, in l527, and Lorenzo Ghiberti, who made the doors of the Baptistry.
Orsanmichele, Florence
A church - originally built as a grain market
It was originally built as a grain market in l337, but was later converted into a church. Sculptures of patron saints can be seen, some of the sculptors being Verrocchio, Lorenzo Ghiberti and Donatello.
There are carvings on the walls of the church that depict the activities of Florence’s tradesmen.
Orsanmichele
Originally built as a grain market
It was originally built as a grain market in l337, but was later converted into a church. Sculptures of patron saints can be seen, some of the sculptors being Verrocchio, Lorenzo Ghiberti and Donatello.
There are carvings on the walls of the church that depict the activities of Florence’s tradesmen.
