The Baptistery of St John dates from the 11th century, making it one of the oldest buildings in Florence. Built in the Florentine Romanesque style, it has the status of a minor basilica. With its white and green marble façade, it is in keeping with the other two masterpieces in the Piazza del Duomo: the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, and the Giotto Campanile. The three buildings are similar, but you can’t miss the baptistery: it’s octagonal, after all. The octagon has been a common shape for baptisteries for a long time. The number eight represents the six days of creation, the Day of Rest, and a day of re-creation through baptism.Stairway to HeavenIt has three sets of bronze doors which bear panels telling the story of humanity and the redemption. The south doors were made be Andrea Pisano, whereas the north and east doors were made by Lorenzo Ghiberti. Though the originals are now held in the Grande Museo del Duomo for safekeeping, the copies of Ghiberti’s renowned doors of the Porta del Paradiso are still marvellous. None other than Michelangelo himself gave the door that name, and he knew what he was talking about. Redemption, for someInside, a magnificent mosaic ceiling looms overhead. It dates from the 13th century, and the section above the altar depicts the Last Judgement, with the rewards of the saved at Christ’s right hand and the punishments of the damned at his left. Hieronymus Bosch would have been proud of the latter: sinners are variously roasted on spits, crushed by rocks and chewed on by beasts.

Found in the Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio is a formidable fortress palace, capped by an unmistakeable, 94 metre crenellated tower. Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio for the city government, to this day it remains home to the mayor’s office and the municipal council. The Republican IdealThe inscription over the palace’s main door reads “Christ is the king” and served as a reminder that no mortal could hold absolute power. At the time the palace was built, nine consuls would be picked at random from members of the guild, and they would live in it. Every two months nine new names would be drawn, so no one ever had a chance to get comfy. RevampThings began to change in the 16th century when Cosimo I de’ Medici turned the Palazzo into one of the most luxurious ducal residences of the time. Michaelangelo’s sculpture Genio della Vittoria can be found inside in the Salone dei Cinquecento, a painted hall that was created for the council of 500 who ruled the city in the 15th century. This hall was commissioned in 1540 by Cosimo I, who tasked Vasari and his apprentices to glorify his victories for Florence over Pisa and Siena. He also requested that he be portrayed in god-like fashion in the centre of the panelled ceiling. Also inside the palace is the Chapel of SS Cosmas and Damian, as well as the Sala di Leo X — which was home to Cardinal Giovanni de’ Medici, before he became pope in 1513. Upstairs you can see the Camera Verde, the ceiling of which was inspired by that of Nero’s Domus Aurea in Rome, and the Sala dei Gigli, which is home to Donatello’s Judith and Holofernes. Map to the StarsWhen he wasn’t glorifying himself through paintings, Cosimo I was an avid map collector. In the Sala delle Carte Geografiche you can see his collection of 16th century maps and get an idea of the scope of the known world at the time, from pole to pole.

Set just off the piazza della Signoria, the Loggia dei Lanzi is an outdoor museum that holds some of Florence’s most treasured sculptures and fountains. It owes its name to the Lanzichenecchi bodyguards of Cosimo I who were often stationed here to keep the peace. This Swiss mercenary corps subsequently became notorious for sacking Rome in 1527, but the Loggia kept its name. Designed by Simone Talenti in the 1300s, the Loggia is of the late Gothic style. However, its use of round arches also makes it one of the first examples of Renaissance architecture in Florence. At the time of building the terrace above it was intended as a place for people to watch ceremonies in the piazza below. Now it is part of the Uffizi Gallery, but it remains a great spot for watching the crowds below. Head to HeadThe Loggia first became an outdoor museum when the Florentines expelled the Medici in 1494, after 150 years of their rule. To celebrate the revolt, citizens transported Donatello’s Judith and Holofernes to the Loggia from the Medici’s palace. It depicts a woman decapitating a tyrant — the symbolism is clear. The Medici’s inevitably regained power and Cosimo I commisioned Benvenuto Cellini to make a sculpture of Perseus holding the severed head of Medusa. In 1554 this statue was placed in the Loggia as a warning to Cosimo’s enemies. PantheonToday, many other statues stand alongside Perseus. Don’t miss Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women, Agnolo Gaddi’s Seven Virtues, or the restored Roman statue depicting Menelaus and Patroclus from Greek mythology.

Along with Piazza del Duomo, Piazza della Signoria is one of Florence’s main hubs. The history of Florence is one of warring families, and the Piazza della Signoria rose from the rubble of one such feud. In the 13th century the area was owned by the pro-imperial Uberti family, whose chief rivals were the pro-papal Buondelmonti family. In 1266, the defeat of the imperial army at the Battle of Benevento led to the expulsion of the Uberti family. All their properties were razed and, as a symbol of victory, the ground was salted and the rubble was not cleared for more than a decade. Thereafter, it became the open square it is today. The piazza is dominated by the massive Palazzo Vecchio and its crenellated tower, Florence’s city hall, and the Loggia dei Lanzi, an open air museum that showcases various Renaissance sculptures, ranging from Giambologna’s ‘Rape of the Sabine Women’ to Cellini’s ‘Perseus’. Hero upon HeroPiazza della Signoria is not the biggest square in Italy, but it is one of the most beautiful, in part due to its buildings, but also because dotted around it are some of Florence’s most recognisable statues. Foremost among them is a replica of Michaelangelo’s ‘David’, the original of which can now be found in the Accademia. It was originally found on the steps of the Palazzo Vecchio, flanked by two even older statues, the Marzocco and Judith, both by Donatello. The first shows a lion holding the heraldic shield of the city. The lion was the emblem of the Florentine republic, and indeed several lions used to be kept in a caged area behind the palace in what is now known as the Street of Lions.

Ponte Vecchio means ‘Old Bridge’, and it’s a deserved name: this structure dates back to 1345. It’s the oldest bridge in Florence — the only one to escape destruction as German forces retreated in 1944. This bridge spans the Arno river at its narrowest point, but in fact scarcely looks like a bridge at all. Compared to the light and airy metallic structures of today, the Ponte Vecchio is pleasingly sturdy. Made of stone and wood, it is crowded with overhanging shops. It is not simply simple a way to get from A to B, but rather a road, market place and piazza all rolled into one. Diamond in the RoughThe bridge is packed with jewellers’ shops, and has been since the 16th century when Ferdinando I de’ Medici sent them in as a more agreeable replacement for the malodorous butchers and fishmongers, who used to throw their putrid leftovers straight into the river. Florence was becoming a great centre of Renaissance culture, and they had to keep up appearances. HighwayThe Vasari Corridor is a covered passageway which runs above the shops on Ponte Vecchio. Cosimo I commissioned it to connect the Uffizi with the Pitt Palace, his humble abode across the river. When the Germans were retreating, only the bridge’s access points to the city were destroyed — in fact, the Vasari Corridor was, for a time, the only way to get from one side of the river to the other, short of having a boat.

The Uffizi Gallery is globally famous, and rightly so: it holds the world’s finest collection of Italian Renaissance art, in addition to works dating right back to ancient Greece. Much of the collection was bequeathed to the city by the Medici family in 1743 — on the one condition that it never leave Florence. Today it stands as one of the greatest gifts of the Medici offspring: along with the Vatican Museums in Rome, the Uffizi is one of the two most visited museums in Italy. The building the gallery is housed in was built by Cosimo I de’ Medici and designed by Giorgio Vasari in the 16th century. Vasari is perhaps most famous for his series of biographies, Lives of the Artists, one of the most interesting and entertaining history of art documents we have. Read it for the gossip, then head to the Uffizi to see all of their finest works on show. The Masters Perhaps the greatest - and most popular - room in the Uffizi is the Botticelli room. It is one huge hall that contains dozens of works by the Renaissance master, including The Birth of Venus, Spring and Adoration of the Magi. Elsewhere you will find works by the likes of Michaelangelo, Da Vinci, Canaletto — in fact, just about any Italian master you can think of. The Vasari Corridor The Vasari Corridor links Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi to the Pitt Palace on the opposite side of the river Arno. Commisioned by Cosimo I in 1565, it is over one kilometre long and allowed the Medici to move freely - and privately - between the seat of government and their home. Now you can walk in their footsteps: enjoy the spectacular views through the circular windows and also the selection of 17th and 18th century paintings that line the walls.

“No other artwork is equal to it in any respect, with such just proportion, beauty and excellence did Michelagnolo finish it.” So wrote Giorgio Vasari, a great artist and author in his own right — it is high praise indeed. Housed in the Galleria dell’Accademia, Michaelangelo’s David is perhaps the most famous sculpture in the world; no trip to Florence would be complete without seeing it. The large statue was commissioned by the Opera del Duomo many years earlier but two other sculptors, Agostino di Duccio and Antonio Rossellino, rejected the huge block of marble they were offered because it contained too many taroli — imperfections that can undermine the stability of such a huge sculpture. By contrast Michaelangelo, still only 26 years old in 1501, relished the challenge. Two years of solid work produced his greatest masterpiece. Standing at 14 ft tall, David depicts the eponymous biblical hero, renowned for standing up to the colossal Goliath with only his sling, stones, and faith. The city council were stunned by its beauty and assembled a committee of thirty, including artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli, to choose an appropriate stage for David. They settled on the Piazza della Signoria, in the political heart of Florence. A replica remains there even now, while the original stands tallest among a wealth of treasures in the Accademia.

Throughout Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens, there are dramatic marble statues which draw global visitors each day.

The Florentine building known as Orsanmichele was one of the most important places for sculpture in the early Renaissance years.

Outdoor Leather Markets in Florence · San Lorenzo leather market Florence

In the summer months you won’t struggle to find the famous Galleria dell’Accademia — just look for the longest queue of tourists in Florence. This art museum is popular for good reason: it has been the home of Michaelangelo’s David since 1873. Before then David was left out in the cold in the Piazza della Signoria; a replica remains there even now. There’s much more to see besides David in the Accademia, magnificent as it is. Upon entering the building you step into the Hall of the Colossus, home of the plaster model for Giambologna’s masterful marble sculpture Rape of the Sabine Women. The real thing can be seen in the Loggia dei Lanzi, but the model is just as interesting, showing a master’s creative process as he summons life from a single block of marble. Neighbouring rooms contain paintings by Andrea Orcagna, Taddeo Gaddi, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Filippino Lippi and Sandro Botticelli.  Tribute for an Old Master The Accademia was at first specifically intended as a tribute to Michaelangelo, celebrating the fourth centenary of his birth. It has broadened its range since then, but it still contains numerous works of his. Other than David, it also includes his four unfinished Prisoners, which were intended for the tomb of Pope Julius II, and a statue of Saint Matthew. Sounds and sweet airs  The most recent section of the Accademia, the Museum of Musical Instruments, offers the chance to learn about the invention of the piano, created by Bartolomeo Cristofori for the Medici, and admire the Grand Ducal collection of forty instruments, scaling from harpsichords to violoncellos.