Where to find Great Architecture, Florence

Favorite thing: Piazza del Duomo
The remarkable Duomo, with its pink, white and green marble façade and characteristic dome, dominates the city's skyline. The building took almost two centuries to build (and even then the façade wasn't completed until the 19th century), and is the fourth-largest cathedral in the world. The enormous dome was designed by Brunelleschi, and its interior features frescoes and stained-glass windows by some of the Renaissance-era's best: Vasari, Zuccari, Donatello, Uccello and Ghiberti. Take a deep breath and climb up to take a closer look, and you'll be rewarded by fantastic views of the city and an insight into how the dome was so cleverly constructed - without scaffolding (though there's plenty of that propping the dome up now!). The dome still defines the scale of the city, and no building in town is taller.

Fondest memory: They were filming a movie...looked for Bruce Willis, but did not find him....

Favorite thing: Piazza della Signoria: This is one of the more beautyfull squares on Italy, The Palazzo vecchio,with its majestic tower, the Neptune fountain, the incredible Loggia dei Lanzi with incredible sculptures as Perseo (Cellini) and many more, this square is the place you will think when you hear Florence (Firenze).

Favorite thing: DUOMO (La Cattedrale di S. Maria del Fiore)
Florence's Duomo, or cathedral, completed in 1327, is the fourth largest church in the world, and its domed roof is symbolic of the meeting of Renaissance craft and culture. Engineered by the architect and sculptor Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446), using specially invented machines, the cupola (dome) was one of the greatest achievements of the Italian Renaissance. Its octagonal form has a diameter of 46.5m (153ft) at the base, and was completed in 1436; it is possible to climb to the top of the dome for magnificent views over the city. The vast interior boasts sculptures by Renaissance masters such as Paolo Uccello, Andrea del Castagno, Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari. The Duomo stands on the remains of an older cathedral, which can be seen in the archaeological area revealed beneath the floor. The bronze doors of the battistero (baptistry), the oldest building in Florence, were cast by Lorenzo Ghiberti in the early part of the 15th century and were described by Michelangelo as fit to be the gates to paradise. The nearby campanile (bell tower) is decorated inside with frescoes by Giotto and Donatello, amongst others.
Opening Times:
Battistero: Mon-Sat 12:00-19:00, Sun 08:30-14:00.
Campanile: Daily 09:00-19:30.
Cupola: Mon-Fri 08:30-19:00, Sat 08:30-17:40.
Duomo: Mon-Wed and Fri 10:00-17:00, Thurs 10:00-17:30, Sat 10:00-16:45, Sun 13:00-16:45.

Favorite thing: PONTE VECCHIO
This famous 14th-century bridge, built by Taddeo Gaddi and home to medieval Florence's gold and silversmiths, is still paved with jewellers' shops today. The Ponte Vecchio's genteel atmosphere dates back to the days of Cosimo de' Medici, a member of the city's ruling dynasty in Renaissance times, who threw out a group of butchers who set up shop on the bridge. Above the shops that line the bridge is a secret passageway known as the Corridoio Vasariano, linking the Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Palace, and originally built as a private passage for the Medici family. The Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge across the River Arno to be spared German bombing during World War II.

Favorite thing: SANTA CROCE CHURCH

This beautiful black & white church is the final resting place of Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo amongst many others. The facade and bell tower only date back to the last century, but the church itself was begun at the end of the XIIIth century. Don't miss the numerous chapels, particularly the Cappella Peruzzi and the Cappella Bardi with their Giotto Frescoes, with Brunelleschi´s Cappella dei Pazzi being considered one of his finest works.

Favorite thing: PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA

Undoubtely, the heart of Florence. In its many terraces where you can seat and watch the people go by (or Anthony Hopkins throwing corpses from the Palazzo, 'Hannibal')!!.
The big tower you can see is the Palazzo Vecchio. This fortress of a town hall became known as the 'vecchio' palace when the Medici entourage upped and moved sticks to the Pitti palace, after a mere nine years in residence. It was built as the seat of the Signoria, the fathers of the city´s republican government, and incorporated the ancient tower into its construction. The various salons and chambers of the interior are largely decorated with tributes and eulogies to Cosimo I and his family.

Favorite thing: THE PONTEVECCHIO

An icon of Florence, the Pontevecchio is world famous for its jeweler shops (once upon a time there were butchers shops, but the Medici evicted them all in 1593). It was built to replace a 14th century wooden bridge that was destroyed by flooding, and was the only bridge that was not mined when the Nazis retreated in 1944 - they destroyed the streets on either side instead. The corridor running over the top of the shops was built by Vasari to link the Palazzo Pitti and the Palazzo Vecchio.

Favorite thing: Ponte Vecchio .Built in 1345,it is the oldest bridge(ponte) in Florence. It was the only bridge in Florence not to be blown up in World WarII. Originally...the workshops on the bridge were occupied by butchers and black smiths. They used to dump their garbage in the Arno River and they were evicted in 1593 because of this.
Now ....most of the shops are jewelery stores specializing in 18K gold.