Explore Fabulous Florence: Self Guided Audio Tour

Florence’s first major marketplace, known now as the Mercato Vecchio, or “Old Market” was demolished as part of the city’s renovations during the mid-nineteenth century. The structure housing the Central Market was designed by Giuseppe Mengoni, an Italian architect best known for the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a massive arcade in Milan named in honor of the king of Italy.

The religious complex was renovated during the fifteenth century through the funding of the Medici family. The current monastery stands on the site of a Benedictine monastery that dates back to the 12th century. The monastery was designed by the famous Florentine architect Michelozzo, who was a close friend of Cosimo the Elder, the head of the Medici family. Michelozzo even specially constructed a cell in San Marco for Cosimo’s private retreat.

This institution was founded in 1784, when the Grand Duke of Tuscany determined that all art schools in Florence should be located in one place. Though the Accademia displays works by several Renaissance artists, by far the most famous piece in its collection is Michelangelo’s statue of David.

It was named for the Palazzo della Signoria, or town hall. The Signoria was the governing body of the Florentine Republic. The palazzo is located on your left as you enter the square from Via dei Gondi. Florence’s town hall was constructed in 1299 by Arnolfo di Cambio, the same architect who designed the cathedral. Cambio’s façade remains intact, though the elegant marble frieze over the entrance wasn’t added until 1528.

This is the narrowest part of the river, and there has been a bridge located here since Roman times in the 1st century A.D. The first bridge was destroyed by a flood in 1117. It was rebuilt but destroyed again in 1333. In 1345, the current bridge was constructed. A tower was also built at the southeast corner in order to defend the bridge during attacks on the city.

The current church was most likely designed by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1295 and stands on the site of the original oratory built by the first Franciscan friars to journey to Florence. The basilica has a Tau Cross floorplan, which resembles the capital letter “T”. This symbol is one of the traditional emblems of Saint Francis. The vast, austere interior of the church is characteristic of Franciscan aesthetics, with an open timber roof and a single, wide nave leading to the altar.