Landmark
Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio
Florence · Tuscany
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Landmark
- COUNTRY
- Italy
- REGION
- Florence · Tuscany
- DURATION
- 2 days
ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION
The Piazza della Signoria has been the political centre of Florence for seven centuries, the square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio — the fortress-like town hall that has housed the city’s government since 1299. It is also the city’s open-air sculpture gallery: a copy of Michelangelo’s David stands where the original did until 1873, Cellini’s bronze Perseus holds Medusa’s head in the Loggia dei Lanzi, and Ammannati’s marble Neptune Fountain faces the palace. The square has been the stage of Florentine public life from the bonfire of the vanities to the return of the Medici, and it remains the natural meeting place of the city.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The story behind it
The Palazzo Vecchio, originally the Palazzo della Signoria, was begun in 1299 by Arnolfo di Cambio as the seat of the Priori, the governing body of the Florentine republic. Its tower, 94 metres high, was the tallest in the city and a statement of republican authority. The square in front was the site of public assemblies, executions and the 1497 bonfire of the vanities preached by Savonarola, who was himself burned there in 1498. When the Medici returned to power they made the palace their residence before moving across the river to the Palazzo Pitti, and Cosimo I later moved the government back into it. The Loggia dei Lanzi, built in the 1380s for public ceremonies, became an open-air sculpture gallery under Cosimo.
WHAT TO SEE
What to see here
The Palazzo Vecchio — the medieval town hall, with its Arnolfo tower climbable for a view over the square and the Duomo.
The copy of Michelangelo’s David — standing at the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio where the original stood until 1873.
The Loggia dei Lanzi — the open arcade holding Cellini’s Perseus, Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women and other sculpture.
The Neptune Fountain — Bartolomeo Ammannati’s 1565 marble fountain, nicknamed by Florentines “Il Biancone”.
The round marble plaque — in the pavement near the palace entrance, marking the spot where Savonarola was hanged and burned in 1498.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
The Piazza della Signoria is the room in which Florence governed itself as a republic, and the gallery in which it displayed its art to itself. Few squares in Europe hold so much history and so much sculpture in one place, and the fact that it is still the city’s living centre — not a museum — is what makes it work. For a visitor, it is the square to come back to at different times of day, because it changes character with the light and the crowd.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
MAP & LOCATION
Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio
Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
43.7696, 11.2546
MORE ATTRACTIONS
More to see in Florence
FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
Trattoria Sostanza — a historic trattoria since 1869, famous for its butter chicken and artichoke tortino, book ahead
All’Antico Vinaio — the city’s famous schiacciata bread sandwich, queues around the block
Trattoria Mario — a no-reservations lunch-only trattoria near the Mercato Centrale, honest Tuscan cooking
Osteria delle Tre Panche — a tiny wine bar serving the best maccheroni in the city, a few tables only
Ristorante Cibrèo — the classic Florentine restaurant, the place for ribollita and the chicken liver pâté
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Hotel Lungarno — a riverside boutique hotel overlooking the Ponte Vecchio, with a private art collection
Hotel Brunelleschi — a hotel built around a Byzantine tower in the historic centre, steps from the Duomo
Hotel Torre Guelfa Palazzo Acciaiuoli — a medieval tower hotel near the Ponte Vecchio, with a rooftop terrace
Hotel Cellai — a charming garden hotel in the San Lorenzo quarter, good value for a central stay
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
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