Florence City Centre North Tuscany ITALY
Vacation rentals and homes, commercial property and residential sales in Florence City Centre North
Florence City Centre North Vacation rentals and homes
Florence City Centre North
This area is characterised by Cosimo il Vecchio who founded the Medici dynasty. He loved building and among his work were libraries, palazzi and churches. In this area, there is a large street market selling wool, cashmere, silk and leather goods, and a food market, Mercato Centrale, selling meat, fish, fruit and vegetables.
Florence City Centre North Vacation rentals and homes
Museo di San Marco, Florence
Originally a convent dating back to the l3th Century.
San Marco was originally a convent dating back to the l3th Century. In l437, Michelozzo extended the buildings when Cosimo il Vecchia invited Dominican monks to live there. A large public library was also housed here. Some of the works have been painted by friars at the convent.
Galleria dell’Accademia
The Academy of Fine Arts was founded in l563
Today, the gallery holds paintings and sculptures by many famous artists, including the famous sculpture by Michelangelo of David. The work was finished in l504, when he was 29 years old, after having taken three years to complete. A copy of this famous sculpture stands in the Piazza della Signoria, and another can be found in the centre of Piazzale Michelangelo.
Opificio delle Pietre Dure
Here, the Florentine craft of marble and semi-precious stone pictures is taught. The former monastery now houses a museum of l9th Century tools and workbenches used in the making of these pictures.
Museo Archeologico
Guilio Parigi built the palace in l620 for Princess Maria Maddalena de’Medici. Today, the palace is a museum and holds many ancient Egyptian, Roman and Greek art treasures.
San Lorenzo, Florence
This church dates back to the 4th Century
San Lorenzo is said to be the oldest church in Florence as it dates back to the 4th Century. It was rebuilt into the Renaissance classical style in l4l9 by Brunelleschi, but the façade, designed by Michelangelo, was never finished. It was the parish church of the wealthy Medici family and their money provided the lavish decoration.
Palazzo Pucci
Designed by Bartolomeo Ammannati
The palace was built in the l6th Century as designed by Bartolomeo Ammannati. It was the ancestral home of Emilio Pucci, Marchese di Barsento, the clothes designer.
Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi
This former convent was damaged by floods in l966, but has since been restored. The Cistercian order ran the convent at first, followed in l628 by Carmelites, but since l926 it has been home to Augustinian monks. The church’s portico was designed by Giuliano da Sangallo in l492. The coloured marble decoration of the main chapel, carried out in l675 by Ciro Ferri, is said to be one of the best examples of the High Baroque style in a Florentine church.
Cenacolo di Sant’Apollonia
This is a former convent used by Camaldolite nuns. The painting of The Last Supper on the wall of the refectory is the work of Andrea del Castagno, who was taught by Masaccio.
Santissima Annunziata
The Servite order founded the church of the Holy Annunciation in l250. The ceiling was painted in l669 by Pietro Giambelli. There is a painting of the Virgin Mary in the church which was started by a monk in l252, and some believe it was completed by an angel. Many newly weds visit the shrine to present flowers to the Virgin Mary hoping for a long and happy marriage. A special service devoted to artists is held here every year on St. Luke’s Day (l8th October).
Palazzo Medici Riccardi
Michelozzo designed the palace for Cosimo il Vecchio in the l440s, and was the home of the Medici family from l444. In the l7th Century, the Riccardi family became the new owners and they carried out a lot of restoration work on the palace. The statue of David, by Donatello, could at one time be viewed here, but has been moved to the Bargello. Bandinelli’s statue of Orpheus can still be seen here. The palace is now home to government offices.
