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Florence - General Information

- The City -

Florence, capitol of the region of Tuscany, has been called ‘the cradle of the Italian Renaissance’ and this description seems very appropriate when you first set eyes on it. The city occupies a cradle-like dip in the landscape, surrounded by low hills. It has a population of around 400,000 inhabitants and spreads out on either bank of the River Arno, almost in the middle of the Italian peninsula.

From a distance Florence seems like the quintessential Tuscan town, with its terracotta roofs and decorated towers causing it to resemble a vast, dazzling, ochre-and-gold mosaic. But it can be a bit of a surprise when you first enter its boundaries. Rather than being light, pretty and characteristically Mediterranean, the streets are like grey stone gullies, while the architecture and statuary have a monumental heaviness to them. But walk around just a bit and Florence will begin to cast its spell on you. No matter where you look, you’ll see hanging gardens with fountains and statues, arched walkways, medieval towers, elegant bridges, shell-shaped windows and walls bearing huge stone crests of ancient noble families, all punctuated by green and white marble floors partially concealed behind carved wooden doors. It is also a city that bustles with industry and craft, commerce and culture, art and science.

- History of Florence -

Florence began life around 50 BC as a settlement for retired Roman soldiers, established by Julius Caesar. Through its advantageous position in the fertile valley of the Arno, the settlement rapidly expanded. However it was not until the 13th Century that the city’s true ascendancy began, with its emergence as an economic powerhouse of Europe. Its merchants pioneered the system of international letters of credit and the gold florin became the international standard of currency. With this economic strength came a building boom. Public and private palaces, churches, and basilicas were built, enlarged, or restructured.

Though ostensibly a republic, Florence was dominated by one very powerful family, the Medici, who came into power in the 1430s and became the de facto rulers of Florence for several hundred years. Florence's golden age occurred during the reign of Lorenzo de' Medici (1449-92). Called "Il Magnifico", he gathered around him poets, artists, philosophers, architects, and musicians and organised all manner of cultural events, festivals, and tournaments.

However, by the 1530s most of the major artistic talent had left the city – Michelangelo, for one, had settled in Rome. The Medici remained nominally in power until the 18th century, after which time Florence passed to the Austrians then the French and back again until the unification of Italy in 1861, when it briefly became the capital under King Vittorio Emanuele II. Florence was "discovered" in the 18th century by upper class northern Europeans making the Grand Tour. It became a mecca for travellers, particularly the Romantics, who were inspired by the elegance of its palazzi and its artistic wealth, and it has remained an increasingly popular tourist destination ever since.

- Florence Today -

Today, more than being home to some of the world’s greatest galleries and museums, Florence is one enormous museum and gallery, with more art treasures per square metre than any other city on the planet. The bell-shaped city centre is compact and easy to get around, with most major sights within walking distance of any other central point. Indeed, it’s practically impossible to get lost, with the often-visible dome of the Duomo and the river Arno and its four central bridges acting as reference points. The majority of the main sights and museums are clustered north of the two central bridges (Ponte Vecchio and Ponte Santa Trinità), in the area around the Duomo. Most of the other important sites are in the areas around this rectangle: Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo, San Marco, Santa Croce and Oltrarno zones. Furthermore the surrounding hills rising steeply on both sides create challenging walks and rewarding views that are easily accessible on foot or by bus. Particularly worth seeing is the gorgeous church of San Miniato al Monte.

As for Florentines themselves, they are often regarded as proud and, more importantly, chiusi (closed to others) by their fellow Italians. But they tend to be friendlier towards foreign visitors. They are particularly well disposed towards those from the UK, as British troops, from their considerable base in 19th-century Florence, helped the Tuscan resistance overthrow their Austrian rulers and eventually form a unified Italian state, whose first capital was Florence.