Florence
The city lies on the River Arno and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. Florence is considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. A turbulent political history included periods of rule by the powerful Medici family, religious and republican revolution. From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
The climate is temperate but rather variable, with breezy winters and hot summers.
Contents |
Impressions
The historic centre of the city has a fair number of beggars and drunks at the side of the road with graffitti on the walls and a reasonable amount of litter. There are, of course, masses of tourists wandering the streets taking photographs.
Communications
Florence is served by Vespucci Airport about 5km from the city centre. Via the A1 motorway it is connected in the north to Bologna and Milan and in the south to Rome and Naples.
There are 3 main railway stations in Florence:
- FI SMN - Firenze S. M. Novella (the main station)
- FI C.M. - Firenze Campo di Marte
- FI RIFR - Firenze Rifredi
Main Attractions
- Piazzale Michelangelo - offering panoramic views of the city
- the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore
- the Ponte Vecchio
- the Arno
- the Piazza della Republica
- the Pitti Palace
- the Palazzo Medici Riccardi
Economy
The economy of Florence is based mainly on the service sector as the city is an important commercial centre. The traditional centuries-old banking and financial sector continues to flourish and has been supplemented by tourism and crafts which are highly profitable. The city is an active centre of culture, and organizes periodical exhibitions and art festivals. Industry, though consisting generally of small and medium-sized firms, has fairly important precision engineering, optical, pharmaceutical, chemical, metallurgical, publishing and textile sectors.
History
Florence was founded by Julius Caesar in the first century BCE for his veteran soldiers, the city reached its highest pinnacles of civilization between the 11th and 15th centuries, as a free city, balancing the authority of the Emperors with that of the Popes. It was a city ruled and directed by powerful familes: Guelfs and Ghibellines and later the Medici family, who later became the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. During this period the city was at the height of its glory in art and culture, in politics and economic power.
The Grand Duchy of the Medicis was succeeded, in the 18th century, by that of the House of Lorraine when (in 1860) it became part of the Kingdom of Italy of which Florence was the capital from 1865 to 1871.
Art & Culture
Florence is reknowned for its exceptional artistic patrimony. The list of influential artists who lived and worked in the city is almost endless:
- l'Angelico
- Andrea Pisano
- Arnolfo
- Botticelli
- Brunelleschi
- Cimabue
- Della Robbia
- Donatello
- Filippo Lippi
- Giotto
- Ghiberti
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Masaccio
- Michelangelo
- Paolo Uccello
Notable People
{{#ask: notableIn::Florence | ?profession | format=ul | headers=hide }}
Map
| Whos here now: Members 0 Guests 1 Bots & Crawlers 0 |
