Comune di Firenze
Municipal coat of arms
Location of Florence in Italy
Country	Italy
Region	Tuscany
Province	Florence (FI)
Mayor	Leonardo Domenici (Democratic Party)
Elevation	50 m (164 ft)
Area	102 km² (39 sq mi)
Population (as of 2006-06-02)
- Total	366,488
- Density	3,593/km² (9,306/sq mi)
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	43°46′18″N, 11°15′13″E
Gentilic	Fiorentini
Dialing code	055
Postal code	50100
Frazioni	Galluzzo, Settignano
Patron	St. John the Baptist
- Day	June 24
Website: www.comune.firenze.it

Florence (or Firenze, Florentia and Fiorenza) is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany, and of the province of Florence. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 In Italy, a Province (in Italian provincia) is an administrative division of intermediate level between Municipality ( Comune The Province of Florence (Provincia di Firenze is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Leonardo Domenici (born July 12, 1955) is an Italian politician Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 455 - The Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Here are a list of area codes in Italy. All numbers here begin with the country code (0039 A frazione, in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a Comune; for other Administrative Galluzzo is a suburb of Florence, Italy, located in the southern extremity of the florentine comune Settignano is a picturesque Frazione ranged on a hillside northeast of Florence, Italy, with spectacular views that have attracted expatriates Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 In Italy, a Province (in Italian provincia) is an administrative division of intermediate level between Municipality ( Comune The Province of Florence (Provincia di Firenze is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most populated city in Tuscany with 364,779 people.

From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest On a side note, Florence lies on the Arno River and it is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture. The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere Art refers to a diverse range of Human activities creations and expressions that are appealing to the Senses or Emotions of a human individual The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation A centre of medieval European trade and finance, the city is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and was long ruled by the Medici family. Trade is the willing exchange of goods, services, or both Trade is also called Commerce. The field of finance refers to the concepts of Time, Money and Risk and how they are interrelated The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 14th In fact, the city has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's ^[1]

The "Historic Centre of Florence" was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1982. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16

Contents 1 History 1.1 Florence and the Renaissance 2 Historic centre of Florence 3 Landmarks 4 Geography 4.1 Climate 5 Historical Evocations 5.1 “Scoppio del Carro” 5.2 “Calcio in Costume” 5.3 Other Historical Evocations 6 Cityscape 6.1 Buildings 6.2 Churches 6.3 Bridges 7 Other points of interest 8 Demography 9 Culture 9.1 Art 9.2 Language 9.3 Cuisine 9.4 Notable residents 10 Transportation 11 Economy 12 Administration 13 Twinning 14 See also 15 References 16 Bibliography 16.1 Primary sources 17 External links

History

Main article: History of Florence

Florence was originally established by Julius Caesar in 59 BC as a settlement for his veteran soldiers. Roman origins Florence was founded in 59 BCE as a settlement for former soldiers and was named Florentia, allotted by Julius Caesar to his veterans in It was named Florentia (Flourishing) and built in the style of an army camp with the main streets, the cardo and the decumanus, intersecting at the present Piazza della Repubblica. Piazza della Repubblica ( Republic Square) is a City square in Florence, Italy. Situated at the Via Cassia, the main route between Rome and the North, and within the fertile valley of the Arno, the settlement quickly became an important commercial center. Emperor Diocletian made Florentia capital of the province of Tuscia in the 3rd century AD. Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus ( ca. December 22 244 The modern historian Timothy Barnes takes December 22 as his birthdate

Saint Minias was Florence’s first martyr. The term martyr ( Greek μάρτυς martys "witness" is most commonly used today to describe an individual who sacrifices their life (or personal freedom He was beheaded at about 250 AD, during the anti-Christian persecutions of the Emperor Decius. After being beheaded, it is said that he picked up his disembodied head and walked across the Arno River and up the hill Mons Fiorentinus to his hermitage, where the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte now stands. The Basilica di San Miniato al Monte ( Basilica of St Minias on the Mountain stands atop one of the highest points in Florence, and has been described as the finest

The seat of a bishopric from around the beginning of the 4th century AD, the city experienced subsequent turbulent periods of Ostrogothic rule, during which the city was often troubled by warfare between the Ostrogoths and the Byzantines, which may have caused the population to fall to as few as 1,000 living persons. The Ostrogoths (Ostrogothi or Austrogothi were a branch of the Goths, an East Germanic tribe that played a major role in the political events of the late The Ostrogoths (Ostrogothi or Austrogothi were a branch of the Goths, an East Germanic tribe that played a major role in the political events of the late

Peace returned under Lombard rule in the 6th century. The Lombards ( Latin Langobardi, whence the alternative names Langobards and Longobards) were a Germanic people originally from Conquered by Charlemagne in 774, Florence became part of the duchy of Tuscany, with Lucca as capital. Charlemagne (ˈʃɑrlɨmeɪn Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus meaning Charles the Great) (747 – 28 January 814 was King of the Franks from 768 to his Lucca is a city in Tuscany, northern central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plain near (but not on the Ligurian Sea Population began to grow again and commerce prospered. In 854, Florence and Fiesole were united in one county. Fiesole is a town and Comune of the Province of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany, on a famously scenic height above

Margrave Hugo chose Florence as his residency instead of Lucca at about 1000 AD. Margrave (marchio is the English and French form (recorded since 1551 of the German Title Markgraf (from Mark " This initiated the Golden Age of Florentine art. In 1013, construction began on the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte. The exterior of the baptistry was reworked in Romanesque style between 1059 and 1128. The Florence Baptistry or Battistero di San Giovanni ( Baptistery of St

This period also saw the eclipse of Florence's formerly powerful rival Pisa (defeated by Genoa in 1284 and subjugated by Florence in 1406), and the exercise of power by the mercantile elite following an anti-aristocratic movement, led by Giano della Bella, that resulted in a set of laws called the Ordinances of Justice (1293). Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the Arno River on the Ligurian Sea. Genoa ( Genova, ˈdʒɛːnova in Italian; Zena in Genoese and Ligurian; Genua in Latin and archaically in English The Ordinances of Justice were a series of statutory laws enacted in Florence, Italy between the years A

Of a population estimated at 80,000 before the Black Death of 1348, about 25,000 are said to have been supported by the city's wool industry: in 1345 Florence was the scene of an attempted strike by wool combers (ciompi), who in 1378 rose up in a brief revolt against oligarchic rule in the Revolt of the Ciompi. The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia The Revolt of the Ciompi was a popular revolt in late medieval Florence by wool Carders known as ciompi After their suppression, Florence came under the sway (1382-1434) of the Albizzi family, bitter rivals of the Medici. The Albizzi family was a Florentine family based in Arezzo and rivals of the Medici and Alberti families Cosimo de' Medici was the first Medici family member to essentially control the city from behind the scenes. Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici (September 27 1389 &ndash August 1 1464 was the first of the Medici political dynasty de facto rulers of Although the city was technically a democracy of sorts, his power came from a vast patronage network along with his alliance to the new immigrants, the gente nuova. Patronage is the support encouragement privilege and often financial aid given by a person or an organization The fact that the Medici were bankers to the pope also contributed to their rise. Cosimo was succeeded by his son Piero, who was shortly thereafter succeeded by Cosimo's grandson, Lorenzo in 1469. Piero de' Medici (the Gouty, Italian Piero "il Gottoso" (1416 &ndash December 2 1469 was the de facto ruler of Lorenzo de' Medici (January 1 1449 &ndash 9 April 1492 was an Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic during the Italian Renaissance Lorenzo was a great patron of the arts, commissioning works by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni Two biographies were published of him during his lifetime One of them by Giorgio Vasari, proposed that he was the pinnacle of all Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( April 15 1452 – May 2 1519 was an Italian Polymath, having been a scientist Mathematician, Engineer Lorenzo was also an accomplished musician and brought some of the most famous composers and singers of the day to Florence, including Alexander Agricola, Johannes Ghiselin, and Heinrich Isaac. Alexander Agricola (1445 or 1446 &ndash August 15, 1506) was a Franco-Flemish Composer of the Renaissance. Johannes Ghiselin ( Verbonnet) (fl 1491 – 1507 was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in France Italy and in the Low Countries Heinrich Isaac (also known as Ysaac, Henricus, Arrigo d'Ugo, and Arrigo il Tedesco – Tedesco meaning "Flemish" or "German" By contemporary Florentines, (and since), he was known as "Lorenzo the Magnificent" (Lorenzo il Magnifico).

Following the death of Lorenzo in 1492, he was succeeded by his son Piero II. When the French king Charles VIII invaded northern Italy, Piero II chose to resist his army. Charles VIII, called the Affable (l'Affable 30 June 1470 &ndash 7 April 1498 was King of France from 1483 to his death But when he realized the size of the French army at the gates of Pisa, he had to accept the humiliating conditions of the French king. These made the Florentines rebel and they expelled Piero II. With his exile in 1494, the first period of Medici rule ended with the restoration of a republican government.

During this period the Dominican monk Girolamo Savonarola had become prior of the San Marco monastery in 1490. Girolamo Savonarola ( September 21, 1452 &ndash May 23, 1498) was an Italian Dominican priest and leader of Florence from Prior is a Title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier first' with several notable uses He was famed for his penitential sermons, lambasting what he viewed as widespread immorality and attachment to material riches. He blamed the exile of the Medicis as the work of God, punishing them for their decadence. He seized the opportunity to carry through political reforms leading to a more democratic rule. But when Savonarola publicly accused Pope Alexander VI of corruption, he was banned from speaking in public. Pope Alexander VI ( 1 January 1431 &ndash 18 August 1503) born Roderic Llançol, later Roderic de Borja i Borja ( When he broke this ban, he was excommunicated. The Florentines, tired of his extreme teachings, turned against him and arrested him. He was convicted as a heretic and burned at the stake on the Piazza della Signoria on 23 May 1498. Piazza della Signoria is an L-shaped square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne

A second individual of unusual insight was Niccolò Machiavelli, whose prescriptions for Florence's regeneration under strong leadership have often been seen as a legitimisation of political expediency and even malpractice. Commissioned by the Medici, Machiavelli also wrote the Florentine Histories, the history of the city. Florentine Histories (Istorie fiorentine is a historical account by Niccolò Machiavelli first published in 1532 Florentines drove out the Medici for a second time and re-established a republic on May 16, 1527. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Restored twice with the support of both Emperor and Pope, the Medici in 1537 became hereditary dukes of Florence, and in 1569 Grand Dukes of Tuscany, ruling for two centuries. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (Granducato di Toscana Magnus Ducatus Tusciae was a state in central Italy that existed from 1569 to 1859 replacing the Duchy of Florence In all Tuscany, only the Republic of Lucca (later a Duchy) and the Principality of Piombino were independent from Florence. Lucca is a city in Tuscany, northern central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plain near (but not on the Ligurian Sea The Duchy of Lucca was an Italian state existing from 1815 to 1847. Piombino is a town and commune in the Province of Livorno ( Tuscany) Italy, on the border between the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea

The extinction of the Medici line and the accession in 1737 of Francis Stephen, duke of Lorraine and husband of Maria Theresa of Austria, led to Tuscany's temporary inclusion in the territories of the Austrian crown. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich It became a secundogeniture of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty, who were deposed for the Bourbon-Parma in 1801 (themselves deposed in 1807), restored at the Congress of Vienna; Tuscany became a province of the United Kingdom of Italy in 1861. The House of Bourbon is an important European Royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest

Florence replaced Turin as Italy's capital in 1865, hosting the country's first parliament, but was superseded by Rome six years later, after the withdrawal of the French troops made its addition to the kingdom possible. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 The Second French Empire or Second Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870 between the Second After doubling during the 19th century, Florence's population tripled in the 20th with the growth of tourism, trade, financial services and industry. During World War II the city experienced a year-long German occupation (1943-1944) and was declared an open city. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Allied soldiers who died driving the Germans from Tuscany are buried in cemeteries outside the city (Americans about 9 kilometres (6 mi) south of the city [1], British and Commonwealth soldiers a few kilometers east of the center on the north bank of the Arno [2])

A very important role is played in those years by the famous café of Florence Giubbe Rosse from its foundation until the present day. Piazza del Mercato Vecchio was destroyed (Old Market Square), and then was renamed Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. Piazza della Repubblica ( Republic Square) is a City square in Florence, Italy. Piazza della Repubblica ( Republic Square) is a City square in Florence, Italy. It is known today as Piazza della Repubblica, and is the location of the Giubbe Rosse. Piazza della Repubblica ( Republic Square) is a City square in Florence, Italy. In those years (the end of the l9th century) the city administration of Florence decided to raze the old neighborhood of Mercato Vecchio to the ground, in favour of a new square dedicated to Victor Emmanuel II. Victor Emmanuel II King of Italy ( Vittorio Emanuele II; March 14, 1820 – January 9, 1878) was the King of "Non fu giammai così nobil giardino/ come a quel tempo egli è Mercato Vecchio / che l'occhio e il gusto pasce al fiorentino", claimed Antonio Pucci (poet) in the fourteenth century, "Mercato Vecchio nel mondo è alimento. Antonio Pucci (1310 ca - 1388 was a Florentine bellfounder, self-taught as a versifier who wrote his collection Libro di varie storie ("Book of / A ogni altra piazza il prego serra". The area had decayed from its original medieval splendor". Nowadays the literary café Giubbe Rosse is publishing books of famous Italian authors such: Mario Luzi, Manlio Sgalambro, Giovanni Lista, Menotti Lerro, Leopoldo Paciscopi. Mario Luzi ( 20 October 1914 &ndash 28 February 2005) was an Italian poet Manlio Sgalambro (born 9 December 1924) is an Italian Philosopher and Poet.

In November 1966, the Arno flooded parts of the center, damaging many art treasures. There was no warning from the authorities who knew the flood was coming, except a phone call to the jewelers on the Ponte Vecchio. History and construction The bridge spans the Arno at its narrowest point where it is believed that a bridge was first built in Roman times when the Via Cassia Around the city there are tiny placards on the walls noting where the flood waters reached at their highest point.

Florence and the Renaissance

There was a surge in artistic, literary, and scientific activity in Florence from the 14th to 16th centuries. This was accompanied by significant economic growth and business activity. There was substantial private and public funding to sponsor artistic and scholarly endeavours.

There were crises in the Roman Catholic church (especially the controversy over the French Avignon Papacy and the Great Schism). In the History of the Roman Catholic Church, the Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1377 during which seven Popes all French, resided in Avignon The Great Schism of Western Christianity or Papal Schism (also known as the Western Schism) was a split within the Roman Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417 There were catastrophic results from the Black Death and a some re-evaluation of medieval values. The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia

Historic centre of Florence

In 1982, the historic centre of Florence (ita. il centro storico di Firenze) was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO for the importance of its cultural heritages. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 The centre of the city is contained in medieval walls that were built in XIV century to defend the city after it became famous and important for its economic growth.

Landmarks

See also: :category:buildings and structures in Florence

Historic Centre of Florence*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii, iii, iv, vi
Reference	174
Region†	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	1982  (6th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

Florence is known as the “cradle of Renaissance” (la culla del Rinascimento) for its monuments, churches and buildings. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. Asia Minor, Cyprus, all of the Aegean Islands, the Canaries A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere The best-known site and crowning architectural jewel of Florence is the domed cathedral of the city, Santa Maria del Fiore, known as The Duomo. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the Cathedral church ( Duomo) of Florence, Italy. Duomo is a generic Italian term for a Cathedral church The formal word for a church that is presently a cathedral is cattedrale; a The magnificent dome was built by Filippo Brunelleschi. A dome is a common structural element of Architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a Sphere. Filippo Brunelleschi (1377 – April 15, 1446) was one of the foremost architects and engineers of the Italian Renaissance. The nearby Campanile tower (partly designed by Giotto) and the Baptistery buildings are also highlights. A campanile &ndash pronounced /kampaˈnile/ &ndash is especially in Italy, a free-standing Bell tower, often adjacent to a church The Florence Baptistry or Battistero di San Giovanni ( Baptistery of St Both the dome itself and the campanile are open to tourists and offer excellent views; The dome, 600 years after its completion, is still the largest dome built in brick and mortar in the world^[2].

At the heart of the city in Piazza della Signoria is Bartolomeo Ammanati's Fountain of Neptune, which is a masterpiece of marble sculpture at the terminus of a still functioning Roman aqueduct. Piazza della Signoria is an L-shaped square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. Bartolomeo Ammanati ( June 18 1511 - April 13 1592) was a Florentine Architect and sculptor. The Fountain of Neptune is a fountain in Florence, Italy, situated on the Piazza della Signoria (Signoria square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio An aqueduct is an artificial channel that is constructed to convey water from one location to another

The Arno river, which cuts through the old part of the city, is as much a character in Florentine history as many of the men who lived there. Historically, the locals have had a love-hate relationship with the Arno — which alternated from nourishing the city with commerce, and destroying it by flood.

One of the bridges in particular stands out as being unique — The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), whose most striking feature is the multitude of shops built upon its edges, held up by stilts. History and construction The bridge spans the Arno at its narrowest point where it is believed that a bridge was first built in Roman times when the Via Cassia The bridge also carried Vasari's elevated corridor linking the Uffizi to the Medici residence (Palazzo Pitti). The Vasari Corridor (Corridoio Vasariano is an elevated enclosed passageway in Florence which connects the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti, passing The Palazzo Pitti, in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast mainly Renaissance Palace in First constructed by the Etruscans in ancient times, this bridge is the only one in the city to have survived World War II intact. Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the culture and way of life of a people of ancient Italy World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

The San Lorenzo contains the Medici Chapel, the mausoleum of the Medici family - the most powerful family in Florence from the 15th to the 18th century. The Basilica di San Lorenzo ( Basilica of St Lawrence) is one of the largest churches of Florence, Italy, situated at the centre of the city’s A mausoleum ( plural: mausolea is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons Nearby is the Uffizi Gallery, one of the finest art galleries in the world - founded on a large bequest from the last member of the Medici family. The Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi one of the oldest and most famous Art Museums in the world is housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi, a

The Uffizi ("offices") itself is located at the corner of Piazza della Signoria, a site important for being the centre of Florence civil life and government for centuries (Signoria Palace is still home of the community government): the Loggia dei lanzi was the set of all the public ceremonies of the republican government. The Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi one of the oldest and most famous Art Museums in the world is housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi, a Piazza della Signoria is an L-shaped square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. Many well known episodes of history of art and political changes were staged here, such as:

• In 1301, Dante was sent into Exile from here (a plaque on one of the walls of the Uffizi commemorates the event).
• 26 April 1478 Jacopo de'Pazzi and his retainers try to raise the city against the Medici after the plot known as The congiura dei pazzi (The pazzi conspiracy) who murdered Giuliano dei Medici and wounded his brother Lorenzo; the florentines seized and hung all the members of the plot that could be apprehended from the windows of the Palace. Lorenzo de' Medici (January 1 1449 &ndash 9 April 1492 was an Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic during the Italian Renaissance
• In 1497, it was the location of the Bonfire of the Vanities instigated by the Dominican friar and preacher Girolamo Savonarola
• the 23 May 1498 the same Savonarola and two followers were hanged and burnt at the stake (a round plate in the ground commemorates the very spot were he was hanged)
• In 1504, it was the original location of Michelangelo's David (now replaced by a reproduction as the original was moved indoors to the Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno), in front of the Palazzo della Signoria (also known as Palazzo Vecchio). Bonfire of the Vanities (Falò delle vanità refers to the burning of objects that are deemed to be occasions of sin. Girolamo Savonarola ( September 21, 1452 &ndash May 23, 1498) was an Italian Dominican priest and leader of Florence from Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne David is a Masterpiece of Renaissance Sculpture sculpted by Michelangelo from 1501 to 1504 The Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno ("Academy of the Art of Drawing" is an art academy in Florence, Italy. The Palazzo Vecchio (IPA pronunciation vɛkio (Italian for Old Palace is the town hall of Florence, Italy

It is still the setting for a number of statues by other sculptors such as Donatello, Giambologna,Ammannati, Cellini, although some have been replaced with copies to preserve the priceless originals. Donatello ( Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi; c 1386 &ndash December 13, 1466) was a famous early Renaissance Italian Giambologna, born as Jean Boulogne, also known as Giovanni Da Bologna and Giovanni Bologna ( 1529 - August 13 1608) was Benvenuto Cellini

In addition to the Uffizi, Florence has other world-class museums:

The Bargello concentrates on sculpture, containing many priceless works of art created by such sculptors as Donatello, Giambologna, and Michelangelo. For the type of embroidery see Bargello (needlework. The Bargello, also known as the Bargello Palace or Palazzo del Popolo Donatello ( Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi; c 1386 &ndash December 13, 1466) was a famous early Renaissance Italian Giambologna, born as Jean Boulogne, also known as Giovanni Da Bologna and Giovanni Bologna ( 1529 - August 13 1608) was Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni Two biographies were published of him during his lifetime One of them by Giorgio Vasari, proposed that he was the pinnacle of all

The Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno (often simply called the Accademia) collection's highlights are Michelangelo's David and his unfinished Slaves. The Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno ("Academy of the Art of Drawing" is an art academy in Florence, Italy. David is a Masterpiece of Renaissance Sculpture sculpted by Michelangelo from 1501 to 1504

Across the Arno is the huge Pitti Palace containing part of the Medici family's former private collection. The Palazzo Pitti, in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast mainly Renaissance Palace in In addition to the Medici collection the palace's galleries contain a large number of Renaissance works, including several by Raphael and Titian as well as a large collection of modern art, costumes, cattiages, and porcelain. Raphael Sanzio, usually known by his first name alone (in Italian Raffaello) (April 6 or March 28 1483 – April 6 1520 was an Italian painter and Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c 1485 &ndash August 27 1576 better known as Titian, was the leading painter of the 16th-century Venetian Adjoining the Palace are the Boboli Gardens, elaborately landscaped and with many interesting sculptures. The Boboli Gardens, in Italian Giardino di Boboli, form a famous park in Florence, Italy, that is home to a distinguished collection of sculptures dating

The Santa Croce basilica, originally a Franciscan foundation, contains the monumental tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Dante (actually a cenotaph), and many other notables. The Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross is the principal Franciscan church in Florence, Italy, and a Minor basilica of the Galileo Galilei (15 February 1564 &ndash 8 January 1642 was a Tuscan ( Italian) Physicist, Mathematician, Astronomer, and Philosopher A cenotaph is a tomb or a Monument erected in honour of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere

Other important basilicas and churches in Florence include Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo, Santo Spirito and the Orsanmichele. The Latin word basilica (derived from Greek, Basiliké Stoà, Royal Stoa) was originally used to describe a Roman Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence, Italy situated just across the main railway station which shares its name The Basilica di San Lorenzo ( Basilica of St Lawrence) is one of the largest churches of Florence, Italy, situated at the centre of the city’s Orsanmichele (or "Kitchen Garden of St Michael " from the contraction in Tuscan dialect of the Italian word orto) is a church

The city's principal football team is AC Fiorentina. ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany.

Florence has been the setting for numerous works of fiction and movies, including the novels and associated films Hannibal, Tea with Mussolini and A Room with a View. Fiction is the telling of stories which are not real More specifically fiction is an imaginative form of Narrative, one of the four basic Rhetorical modes. A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Hannibal is a 2001 Thriller film directed by Ridley Scott, adapted from the Thomas Harris novel of the same name. Tea with Mussolini ( 1999) is a semi-autobiographical Film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, telling the story of young Italian boy A Room with a View is a 1908 Novel by English writer E M Forster, about a young woman in the repressed culture of Edwardian England.

Today, the city is so rich in art that some first time visitors experience the Stendhal syndrome as they encounter its art for the first time. Stendhal syndrome, Stendhal's syndrome or Florence syndrome, is a Psychosomatic illness that causes rapid heartbeat dizziness Confusion ^[3]

Geography

Florence is in a beautiful geographic position, in a sort of basin between the Senese Clavey Hills, especially the hills of Careggi, Fiesole, Settignano, Arcetri, Poggio Imperiale and Bellosguardo. The Villa Medici at Careggi is a patrician villa in the hills near Florence, Tuscany, Italy. Fiesole is a town and Comune of the Province of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany, on a famously scenic height above Settignano is a picturesque Frazione ranged on a hillside northeast of Florence, Italy, with spectacular views that have attracted expatriates Arcetri is a region of Florence, Italy, in the hills to the south of the city centre Poggio Imperiale is a town and Comune in the Province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. Bellosguardo is a town and Comune in the Province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. The city lies on Arno river and others three minor rivers.

Climate

Weather averages for Florence
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average high °C (°F)	10 (50)	12 (54)	15 (59)	18 (64)	23 (73)	27 (81)	31 (88)	31 (88)	26 (79)	21 (70)	14 (57)	10 (50)
Average low °C (°F)	1 (34)	3 (37)	4 (39)	7 (45)	11 (52)	14 (57)	17 (63)	17 (63)	14 (57)	10 (50)	5 (41)	2 (36)
Precipitation mm (inches)	73 (2. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric 9)	68 (2. 7)	81 (3. 2)	78 (3. 1)	73 (2. 9)	55 (2. 2)	40 (1. 6)	76 (3)	78 (3. 1)	88 (3. 5)	111 (4. 4)	94 (3. 7)
Source: Weather. com[4] 2008

Although usually perceived to have a Mediterranean climate, under the Köppen climate classification Florence is sometimes classified as having a Humid subtropical climate (Cfa). A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems It was developed by Wladimir Köppen, a German climatologist Humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa or Cwa) is a climate zone characterized by hot humid summers and chilly to mild winters It experiences hot, humid summers with little rainfall and cool, damp winters. Due to the geographical position of the city (surrounded by hills in a valley traversed by the Arno river), Florence can be hot and humid from June to August. Summer temperatures are higher than those along coastlines, due to the lack of a prevailing wind. The small amount of rain which falls in the summer is convectional in type. There are three distinct main types of rainfall, or forms that Rain can fall in Relief rainfall dominates in the winter, with occasional snow.

Historical Evocations

“Scoppio del Carro”

“Scoppio del Carro” (“the Explosion of the Cart”) is a celebration of the First Crusade. The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the dual goals of conquering the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and freeing

During the day of Easter, it is taken in Piazza del Duomo a cart, called from the florentines "Brindellone", and it is situated in front of the Cathedral of St. John (“ Basilica di San Giovanni”). Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year.

The cart is connected with a thread to the inside of the church. Near the cart there is a pretence pigeon: at the end of the Easter's Mass there is an explosion in the cart and the pigeon is pushed towards the church, passing across the thread.

This celebration has a symbolic meaning because, according to a legend, the pigeon takes good luck to Florence.

“Calcio in Costume”

The “Historic Florentin Football” (“Calcio storico fiorentino”), known in Italy also as “Calcio in costume”, is a medieval sport known as an ancient kind of soccer's game even if it is very similar to rugby. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered

It is an important manifestation began during the Middle Age when in Florence the most important florentin nobles amused themself playing with magnificent costumes.

The most important match was done at 17 February 1530, during the siege of Florence. Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori That day papal troops besiged the city while the florentines, with nonchalence, played at the game.

Other Historical Evocations

Not only in Florence there are important evocations. In a lot of towns near the city there are others religious manifestations. One of these towns is Signa, placed to the west of Florence, where is celebrated the Feast of Blessed Jane" ("Festa della Beata Giovanna"). Signa is a Comune (municipality in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 12 km west of This article refers to the cardinal direction for other uses see West (disambiguation.

Cityscape

Buildings

Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence in the Piazza della Signoria, Place of the Senators. The Palazzo Vecchio (IPA pronunciation vɛkio (Italian for Old Palace is the town hall of Florence, Italy Piazza della Signoria is an L-shaped square in front of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. Inside the Palazzo Vecchio, Old Palace, there is a museum with many works of art by Michelangelo Buonarroti and Giorgio Vasari. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni Two biographies were published of him during his lifetime One of them by Giorgio Vasari, proposed that he was the pinnacle of all Giorgio Vasari ( 30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian painter and Architect, who is today famous

Palazzo Medici Riccardi is in Via Cavour (Cavour Street) also known as Via Larga (Large Street). The Palazzo Medici, also called the Palazzo Medici Riccardi for the later family that acquired and expanded it is a Renaissance Palace located in The building is used as the headquarters of the Consiglio Provinciale (Provincial Council) and house of the Prefect of Florence. Inside the Palazzo Medici Riccardi is the Presidential Suite used by the President of the Italian Republic when visiting Florence.

Palazzo Pitti is in the Piazza Pitti in the southern part of Florence. The Palazzo Pitti, in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast mainly Renaissance Palace in It is near the (Giardino di Boboli), Boboli Garden. The Boboli Gardens, in Italian Giardino di Boboli, form a famous park in Florence, Italy, that is home to a distinguished collection of sculptures dating

The Galleria degli Uffizi, called simply Uffizi, is one of the most famous art galleries of the world, with an incredibile number of Renaissance works of art. The Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi one of the oldest and most famous Art Museums in the world is housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi, a The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere It contains many works by Botticelli.

The Galleria dell'Accademia is world famous because of Michelangelo’s famous statue, David. The Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno ("Academy of the Art of Drawing" is an art academy in Florence, Italy. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni Two biographies were published of him during his lifetime One of them by Giorgio Vasari, proposed that he was the pinnacle of all David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible

The Corridoio Vasariano is an art gallery that connects Palazzo Vecchio to Ponte Vecchio, crossing the art gallery of Uffizi. The Vasari Corridor (Corridoio Vasariano is an elevated enclosed passageway in Florence which connects the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti, passing This passage was built by the Gran Duke Cosimo I. Cosimo I de' Medici (June 12 1519 &ndash April 21 1574 was Duke of Florence from 1537 to 1574 reigning as the first Grand

Churches

Santa Maria del Fiore or Duomo di Firenze is the Cathedral of Florence with a famous towering cupola known as Brunelleschi’s Dome. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the Cathedral church ( Duomo) of Florence, Italy. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the Cathedral church ( Duomo) of Florence, Italy. This is the fourth biggest church in Europe, after San Pietro in Vaticano (Saint Peters) in Rome, Saint Pauls in London and the Cathedral of Milan (Duomo di Milano) in Milan. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy.

The Battistero di San Giovanni has three sets of heavily ornamented doors, the most famous being the east doors by Lorenzo Ghiberti (Porta del Paradiso), (The Gates of Paradise). The Florence Baptistry or Battistero di San Giovanni ( Baptistery of St Lorenzo Ghiberti (born Lorenzo di Bartolo) (1378 &ndash December 1, 1455) was an Italian artist of the early Renaissance best known

The Basilica di Santa Croce is one of the largest churches in Florence. The Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross is the principal Franciscan church in Florence, Italy, and a Minor basilica of the It contains tombs and memorials of famous Florentines and Italians.

The Basilica di San Lorenzo was the local church of the Medici dynasty. The Basilica di San Lorenzo ( Basilica of St Lawrence) is one of the largest churches of Florence, Italy, situated at the centre of the city’s

The Basilica della Santissima Annunziata is a small Roman Catholic basilica and the mother church of the Servite order. The Basilica della Santissima Annunziata ( Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation) is a Roman Catholic Minor basilica in Florence and the It is on the northeastern side of the Piazza Santissima Annunziata.

The Chiesa di San Marco has an adjacent historical monastery containing an important art collection and individual frescoes by Fra Angelico in the monastic cells. San Marco is the name of religious complex in Florence, Italy.

Bridges

The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) is a symbol of Florence. History and construction The bridge spans the Arno at its narrowest point where it is believed that a bridge was first built in Roman times when the Via Cassia First constructed by Romans at the narrowest point of the Arno river. It is the only bridge that wasn’t destroyed by the Nazis during their Italian withdraw in 1944.

Ponte Santa Trinita takes its name from the nearby church. The Ponte Santa Trinita ( Italian for Holy Trinity Bridge, named for the ancient church in the nearest stretch of via Tornabuoni is a Renaissance bridge It is one of the most beautiful bridges in Italy and Europe. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest

Other bridges in Florence are Ponte alle Grazie (Bridge to the Graces), Ponte alla Carraia (Bridge to the Driveway) and Ponte di San Niccolò (Bridge of St. Ponte alle Grazie is a bridge over the Arno River in Florence, Italy. Nicolaus).

Other points of interest

• College and Museum of the History of Biology
• Giardino Botanico Tropicale dell'Istituto Agronomico per l'Oltremare
• Giardino dell'Iris
• La Specola
• Museo di Storia Naturale di Firenze
• Orto Botanico di Firenze
• Palazzi Medici Riccardi

Demography

As of 2004, the greater Florence area had a population of 957,949 inhabitants, 93. The Giardino Botanico Tropicale dell'Istituto Agronomico per l'Oltremare is a Botanical garden specializing in Tropical plants It is located at via Antonio Cocchi The Giardino dell'Iris is a Botanical garden specializing in the cultivation of iris flowers symbol of Florence since 1251 The Museum of Zoology and Natural History "La Specola" is located in Florence, next to the Pitti Palace. The Museo di Storia Naturale di Firenze is a Natural history museum in 6 major collections The Orto Botanico di Firenze (23 hectares also known as the Giardino dei Semplici, is a Botanical garden maintained by the University of Florence The Palazzo Medici, also called the Palazzo Medici Riccardi for the later family that acquired and expanded it is a Renaissance Palace located in 30% being ethnic Italian. The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging Immigrants in the city number 6. 70% of the greater Florence area. Of the 64,421 immigrants living in the Firenze area, 27,759 are of European origins other than Italian. The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging The majority are of Albanian, Romanian, and German ethnicities. } Albanians (Shqiptarët are an Ethnic group and a Nation, in the sense of sharing a common Albanian culture speaking the Albanian language The Romanians (dated Rumanians or Roumanians; Romanian: români or historically and today rather seldom and only regional rumâni The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as An increasing Asian population numbers 19,488, mostly recent immigrants of Chinese and Filipino origins. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Filipinos or the Filipino people are the citizens of the Philippines. The African population numbers 10,364, of which half are North African Arabs and the other half sub-Saharan blacks. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The remaining numbers constitute immigrants from the Americas. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America ^[5]

Age structure^[5]

• 00 - 14 (115,175) = 12. 02%
• 15 - 64 (619 961) = 64. 63%
• 65+ (223,613) = 23. 34%

The city is undergoing an aging process due to the low fertility rates among the women like much of Europe. As a result, the pensioner population outnumbers that of youths. However, in the past decade there has been an increase in the number of births contributing to the slow, continuing positive growth of the city.

Culture

Art

Florence keeps an exceptional artistic heritage which is a marvelous evidence of its aged culture. Cimabue and Giotto, the fathers of Italian painting, lived in Florence as well as Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, renewers of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio forefathers of the Renaissance, Ghiberti and the Della Robbias, Filippo Lippi and Angelico; Botticelli, Paolo Uccello and the universal genius of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Cenni di Pepo (Giovanni Cimabue (c 1240 — c 1302 also known as Bencivieni di Pepo or in modern Italian Benvenuto di Giuseppe was an Italian painter and creator Filippo Brunelleschi (1377 – April 15, 1446) was one of the foremost architects and engineers of the Italian Renaissance. Donatello ( Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi; c 1386 &ndash December 13, 1466) was a famous early Renaissance Italian Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( April 15 1452 – May 2 1519 was an Italian Polymath, having been a scientist Mathematician, Engineer Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni Two biographies were published of him during his lifetime One of them by Giorgio Vasari, proposed that he was the pinnacle of all ^[6][7]

Their works, together with those of many other generations of artists up to the artists of our century, are gathered in the several museums of the town: the Uffizi, the most selected gallery in the world, the Palatina gallery with the paintings of the "Golden Ages". The Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi one of the oldest and most famous Art Museums in the world is housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi, a ^[8]

The Bargello Tower with the sculptures of the Renaissance, the museum of San Marco with Angelico's works, the Academy, the chapels of the Medicis , Buonarroti' s house with the sculptures of Michelangelo, the following museums: Bardini, Horne, Stibbert, Romano, Corsini, The Gallery of Modern Art, The museum of the Opera del Duomo, the museum of Silverware and the museum of Precious Stones. For the type of embroidery see Bargello (needlework. The Bargello, also known as the Bargello Palace or Palazzo del Popolo ^[9]

Great monuments are the landmarks of Florentine artistic culture: the Baptistry with its mosaics; the Cathedral with its sculptures, the medieval churches with bands of frescoes; public as well as private palaces: Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Palazzo Davanzati; monasteries, cloisters, refectories; the "Certosa". The Palazzo Pitti, in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast mainly Renaissance Palace in The Palazzo Medici, also called the Palazzo Medici Riccardi for the later family that acquired and expanded it is a Renaissance Palace located in Palazzo Davanzati is a palace in Florence, Italy. It houses the Museum of the Old Florentine House In the archeological museum includes documents of Etruscan civilization. ^[10]

In fact the city is so rich in art that some first time visitors experience the Stendhal syndrome as they encounter its art for the first time. Stendhal syndrome, Stendhal's syndrome or Florence syndrome, is a Psychosomatic illness that causes rapid heartbeat dizziness Confusion ^[3]

Language

Main article: Tuscan dialect

The Florentine (fiorentino), spoken by inhabitants of Florence and its environs, is a Tuscan dialect and an immediate parent language to modern Italian. The Tuscan Dialect ( dialetto toscano) or the Tuscan Language ( lingua toscana) is an Italian dialect spoken in The Florentine language was the language spoken in the Italian city of Florence. The Tuscan Dialect ( dialetto toscano) or the Tuscan Language ( lingua toscana) is an Italian dialect spoken in Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. (Many linguists and scholars of Dante, Boccaccio, and Petrarch consider modern Italian to be, in fact, modern Florentine. Francesco Petrarca ( July 20, 1304 – July 19, 1374) known in English as Petrarch, was an Italian scholar )

Its vocabulary and pronunciation are largely identical to Italian, though the hard c [k] between two vowels (as in ducato) is pronounced as a fricative [h], similar to an English h. The voiceless glottal transition, commonly called a " fricative " is a type of sound used in some spoken Languages which often behaves like a This gives Florentines a distinctive and highly recognizable accent (the so-called gorgia toscana). The Tuscan gorgia (Italian Gorgia toscana, "Tuscan throat" is a phonetic phenomenon which characterizes the Tuscan dialects in Other traits include using a form of the subjunctive mood last commonly used in medieval times, a frequent usage of the modern subjunctive instead of the present, which may be viewed as incorrect in comparison to standard Italian, and a reduced pronunciation of the definite article, [i] instead of "il". In Grammar, the subjunctive mood (sometimes referred to as the conjunctive mood) is a Verb mood that exists in many languages

Cuisine

Florentine food grows out of a tradition of peasant eating rather than rarefied high cooking. The vast majority of dishes are based on meat. The whole animal was traditionally eaten; various kinds of tripe, (trippa) and (lampredotto) were once regularly on the menu and still are sold at the remaining food carts stationed throughout the city. Tripe is a type of edible Offal from the Stomachs of various Domestic animals. Antipasti include crostini toscani, sliced bread rounds topped with a chicken liver-based pâté, and sliced meats (mainly prosciutto and salami, often served with melon when in season). Pâté (French pronunciation; RP pronunciation; General American pronunciation) Prosciutto (proˈʃutːo pronounced "pro-shoo-toe" is the Italian word for ham. For other uses see Salama and Salameh. Salami is cured Sausage, fermented and air-dried The typically saltless Tuscan bread, obtained with natural levain frequently features in Florentine courses, especially in its famous soups, ribollita and pappa al pomodoro, or in the salad of bread and fresh vegetables called panzanella that is served in summer. Levain is a Bread Leavening agent used traditionally in France and today by artisan bakeries and hobbyists around the world Ribollita is a famous Tuscan Soup whose name literally means "reboiled" Panzanella or panmolle is a type of Italian dish originating in the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Marche and Lazio The most famous main course is the bistecca alla fiorentina, a large (the customary size should weigh around 600 grams) T-bone steak of Chianina beef cooked over hot charcoal and served very rare with its more recently derived version, the tagliata, sliced rare beef served on a bed of arugula, often with slices of Parmesan cheese on top. Chianina (pronounced key-a-NEE-na) is an Italian beef breed of Cattle. Eruca sativa (syn E vesicaria subsp sativa (Miller Thell Brassica eruca L Parmigiano-Reggiano is a hard fat Granular cheese, cooked but not pressed named after the producing areas of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Most of these courses are generally served with local olive oil, also a prime product enjoying a worldwide reputation. Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive ( Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with Lilacs Jasmine and ash trees ^[11]

Notable residents

See also category:People from Florence

• Leone Battista Alberti, polymath. Leon Battista Alberti ( February 14, 1404 &ndash April 25, 1472) was an Italian author artist Architect, Poet
• Dante Alighieri, poet.
• Filippo Brunelleschi, architect. Filippo Brunelleschi (1377 – April 15, 1446) was one of the foremost architects and engineers of the Italian Renaissance.
• Giovanni Boccaccio, poet.
• Giotto di Bondone, early 14th century painter
• Michelangelo Buonarroti, sculptor, painter, also famous for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni Two biographies were published of him during his lifetime One of them by Giorgio Vasari, proposed that he was the pinnacle of all Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina is the best-known Chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City.
• Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, 19th century English poets. Robert Browning (7 May 1812 - 12 December 1889 was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of Dramatic verse, especially Dramatic monologues made him one of Elizabeth Barrett Browning ( March 6, 1806 &ndash June 29, 1861) was one of the most respected Poets of the Victorian era
• Medici family.
• Girolamo Mei, historian and humanist. Girolamo Mei ( May 27 1519 – July 1594 was an Italian Historian and humanist, famous in music history for providing the intellectual
• Lorenzo Ghiberti, sculptor. Lorenzo Ghiberti (born Lorenzo di Bartolo) (1378 &ndash December 1, 1455) was an Italian artist of the early Renaissance best known
• Donatello, sculptor. Donatello ( Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi; c 1386 &ndash December 13, 1466) was a famous early Renaissance Italian
• Masaccio, painter. Masaccio (born Tommaso Cassai or in some accounts Tommaso di Ser Giovanni di Mone; December 21, 1401 &ndash autumn 1428 was the first great
• Raphael, painter. Raphael Sanzio, usually known by his first name alone (in Italian Raffaello) (April 6 or March 28 1483 – April 6 1520 was an Italian painter and
• Leonardo da Vinci, polymath, famous for his Mona Lisa and other paintings, inventions, and scientific experiments. Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( April 15 1452 – May 2 1519 was an Italian Polymath, having been a scientist Mathematician, Engineer Mona Lisa (also known as La Gioconda) is a 16th century portrait painted in oil on a Poplar panel by
• Niccolò Machiavelli, poet, philosopher and political thinker.
• Giorgio Vasari, painter, architect, and historian. Giorgio Vasari ( 30 July 1511 – 27 June 1574) was an Italian painter and Architect, who is today famous
• Galileo Galilei, Italian physicist, astronomer, and philosopher. Galileo Galilei (15 February 1564 &ndash 8 January 1642 was a Tuscan ( Italian) Physicist, Mathematician, Astronomer, and Philosopher
• Vincenzo Galilei. Vincenzo Galilei (c 1520 &ndash July 2, 1591) was an Italian lutenist, Composer, and music theorist, and the father of
• Frescobaldi Family, notable bankers and wine producers. The Frescobaldi Family is a prominent Florentine family that has been involved in the political sociological and economic history of the Tuscany region since the
• Oriana Fallaci, journalist and author. Oriana Fallaci ( 29 June 1929 - 15 September 2006) was an Italian Journalist, Author, and political interviewer
• Florence Nightingale, pioneer of modern nursing, and a noted statistician. Florence Nightingale, OM, RRC (in her own pronunciation ˈflɒɾəns ˈnaɪtɪŋgeɪl 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910 who came to be known as "The
• Salvatore Ferragamo, "shoemaker to the stars". Ferragamo Store The Headquarters for Salvatore Ferragamo is located in Florence Italy (Firenze on Tornabuoni
• Sandro Botticelli, painter.
• Roberto Cavalli, fashion designer. Roberto Cavalli (born November 15 1940) is an Italian Fashion designer.
• Guccio Gucci, founder of the Gucci label. Guccio Gucci (1881–1953 is the founder of The House of Gucci and son of an Italian merchant from the country’s northern manufacturing region The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci, is an Italian iconic fashion and Leather goods label

Transportation

The principal public transport network within the city is run by the ATAF and Li-nea bus company, with tickets available at local tobacconists, bars, and newspaper stalls. Individual tickets or a pass called the Carta Agile with multiple rides (10 or 21) may be used on buses. Once on the bus, tickets must be stamped (or swiped for the Carta Agile) using the machines on board unlike the train tickets which must be validated before boarding. The main bus station is next to Santa Maria Novella train station. Trenitalia runs trains between the railway stations within the city, and to other destinations around Italy and Europe. Trenitalia is the primary operator of trains within Italy. Trenitalia is owned by Ferrovie dello Stato, itself owned by the Italian Government. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The central station, Santa Maria Novella Station, is located about 500 metres (1,640 ft) NW of Piazza del Duomo. Firenze Santa Maria Novella or Stazione di Santa Maria Novella - Firenze There is also another important station, Campo Di Marte, but it is not as well-known as Santa Maria Novella; most bundled routes are Firenze-Pisa, Firenze-Viareggio and Firenze-Arezzo (along the main line to Rome). Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Other local railways connect Florence with Borgo San Lorenzo and Siena.

Long distance buses are run by the SITA, Copit, CAP and Lazzi companies. The transit companies also accommodate travellers from the Amerigo Vespucci Airport, which is five kilometers (3. Peretola Airport, Florence Airport ( Aeroporto di Firenze) or Amerigo Vespucci Airport is an airport located close to Florence, Italy 1 mi) west of the city center, and which has scheduled services run by major European carriers such as Air France and Lufthansa. Air France (formally Société Air France) is one of the world's largest Airlines Air France is based in Paris, France, and is a subsidiary of

The centre of the city is closed to through-traffic, although buses, taxis and residents with appropriate permits are allowed in. A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of Public transport for a single passenger or small group of passengers typically for a non-shared ride This area is commonly referred to the ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato), which is divided into five subsections. Residents of one section, therefore, will only be able to drive in their district and perhaps some surrounding ones. Cars without permits are allowed to enter after seven-thirty at night, or before seven-thirty in the morning. The rules shift somewhat unpredictably during the tourist-filled summers, putting more restrictions on where one can get in and out.

Due to the high level of air pollution and traffic in the city, an urban tram network called the TramVia is currently under construction in the City. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train ^[12] It will run from Scandicci to the southwest through the western side of the city, cross the river Arno at the Cascine Park and arrive to the main station of Santa Maria Novella. Scandicci is a Comune (municipality of c 50000 inhabitants in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about Two other lines are in the final design phase.

Economy

Tourism is the most significant industry within the centre of Florence. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel On any given day between April and October, the local population is greatly outnumbered by tourists from all over the world. The Uffizi and Accademia museums are regularly sold out of tickets, and large groups regularly fill the basilicas of Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novella, both of which charge for entry. The Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi one of the oldest and most famous Art Museums in the world is housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi, a The Accademia dell'Arte del Disegno ("Academy of the Art of Drawing" is an art academy in Florence, Italy. For the basilica in Florence, see Basilica of Santa Croce Florence, for the basilica in Rome see Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence, Italy situated just across the main railway station which shares its name

Florence being historically the first home of Italian fashion (the 1951-1953 soirées held by Giovanni Battista Giorgini are generally regarded as the birth of the Italian school^[13] as opposed to french haute couture) is also home to the legendary Italian fashion establishment Salvatore Ferragamo, notable as one of the oldest and most famous Italian fashion houses. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Ferragamo Store The Headquarters for Salvatore Ferragamo is located in Florence Italy (Firenze on Tornabuoni Many others, most of them now located in Milan, were founded in Florence. Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. Gucci, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, and Chanel have large offices and stores in Florence or its outskirts. The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci, is an Italian iconic fashion and Leather goods label Prada SpA is an Italian high-fashion company (also referred to as fashion House or Label) specializing in Luxury goods for men and women Roberto Cavalli (born November 15 1940) is an Italian Fashion designer. Chanel SA ʃəˈnɛɫ) is a Parisian fashion house created by Coco Chanel.

Certain textile industries employing largely immigrant populations can be found to the north and north-west of the city, continuing its long tradition as a centre of fine fabrics.

Food and wine have long been an important staple of the economy. Florence is the most important city in Tuscany, one of the great wine-growing regions in the world. Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice The Chianti region is just south of the city, and its Sangiovese grapes figure prominently not only in its Chianti Classico wines but also in many of the more recently developed Supertuscan blends. Chianti is a famous Red wine of Italy, which takes its name from a traditional region of Tuscany where it is produced Sangiovese is a Red wine Grape variety originating in Italy whose name derives from sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove " Chianti Classico is a wine produced in one of Chianti's sub-areas Within twenty miles (32 km) to the west is the Carmignano area, also home to flavorful sangiovese-based reds. The celebrated Chianti Rufina district, geographically and historically separated from the main Chianti region, is also few miles west of Florence. More recently, the Bolgheri region (about 100 miles/200 kilometres southwest of Florence) has become celebrated for its Supertuscan reds like Sassicaia.

Administration

See also: List of mayors of Florence

The current Mayor of Florence is Leonardo Domenici (elected in June 1999) who in February 2008 sued Wikipedia for reporting that his wife is on the board of directors of a company that manages parking in Florence^[14][15]

Twinning

Sister cities include:

Beirut, Lebanon. This is a list of mayors of Florence, Italy. It includes the Mayors of Florence ( Sindaco di Firenze) since 1945. Leonardo Domenici (born July 12, 1955) is an Italian politician Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Gemlik, Turkey. Gemlik is a harbor town bordering the Sea of Marmara in Western Turkey, at approximately 29 kilometres from Bursa and not far from Istanbul. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Voždovac, Serbia. Voždovac ( Serbian Cyrillic: Вождовац is an urban neighborhood and one of 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Kraków, Poland. Kraków, in English also spelled Krakow or Cracow (ˈkrækaʊ M-W: krăk'ou krāk'ō is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Athens, Greece. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Dresden, Germany. Dresden (etymologically from Old Sorbian Drežďany, meaning people of the riverside forest, Drježdźany is the Capital city of the German Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Kassel, Germany. Kassel (until 1926 officially Cassel) is a city situated along the Fulda River in northern Hessen, Germany, one of the two sources of the Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Saint Petersburg, Russia. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Granada, Spain. Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous region of Andalusia, Spain. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Reims, France. Reims (alternative English spelling Rheims; riːmz in English and /ʁɛ̃s/ in French) is a city of the Champagne-Ardenne région of northern This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

Riga, Latvia. Riga (Rīga riːga) the Capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Turku, Finland. Turku, in Swedish Åbo ( pronounced,) is a city and the original capital of Finland on the southwest coast of Finland at the Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches El Aaiún, Morocco. El-Aaiún (also transliterated "Laâyoune" or "El Ayun"( Arabic: العيون transliterated al-`ayūn) is a city in Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Asmara, Eritrea. Asmara (English ( Ge'ez: ኣስመራ Asmera, formerly known as Asmera, or in أسمرا Asmaraa Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in Malmö, Sweden. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Fes, Morocco. Fes or Fez ( Arabic: فاس, French Fès is the fourth largest City in Morocco, after Casablanca, Rabat Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Gaziantep, Turkey. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Isfahan, Iran. Esfahān or Isfahan (historically also rendered as Ispahan or Hispahan, Old Persian: Aspadana, Middle Persian: Spahān For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Kiev, Ukraine. Kiev, also known as Kyiv ( Ukrainian:, Kyiv, ˈkɪjiw Russian:, Kiyev; see also Cities' alternative names) is the Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Kuwait City, Kuwait. Kuwait City ( Arabic: مدينة الكويت Transliteration: Madīnat al-Kūwait) is the Capital and largest The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed

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See also

• Buildings and structures in Florence
• Chancellor of Florence
• Florentine School
• Hexadecimal time:  The meridian of Florence, situated at 11° 15' East of Greenwich, is defined as the new hexadecimal prime meridian. The Chancellor of Florence held the most important position in the bureaucracy of the Florentine Republic but did not hold any political power The Florentine School refers to artists in from or influenced by the naturalistic style developed in the 14th century largely through the efforts of Giotto di Bondone Hexadecimal time is the representation of the Time of Day as a Hexadecimal number in the interval  The day is divided in This article is about the geographical concept For other uses of the word see Meridian.
• Historical states of Italy
• List of Florentine churches
• Stendhal syndrome
• University of Florence
• European University Institute

References

Bibliography

• Gene Brucker, Renaissance Florence, (1983)
• Richard A. Corriere della Sera ("Evening Courier" is an Italian daily Newspaper (first in sales) published in Milan. Goldthwaite. The Building of Renaissance Florence: An Economic and Social History (1982)
• Christopher Hibbert. The House of Medici: Its Rise and Fall (1999)
• R. W. B. Lewis. The City of Florence: Historical Vistas and Personal Sightings (1996)
• John Najemy. A History of Florence 1200-1575 (2006)
• Ferdinand Schevill, History of Florence: From the Founding of the City Through the Renaissance (1936)
• Richard C. Trexler. Public Life in Renaissance Florence (1991)

Primary sources

• Gene A. Brucker, eds. The Society of Renaissance Florence: A Documentary Study (1971) 132 original documents in English
• Niccolò Machiavelli. Florentine Histories numerous editions

External links

• Florence travel guide from Wikitravel
• Città di Firenze Official site (English)
• Air Quality in Florence (English)
• Statistics on Florence
• Museums :
  • Polo museale Fiorentino Official site for the state museums, including the Uffizi Gallery (English)
  • Archimede's Garden A museum for Mathematics (Italian)
  • Listing of museums and Galleries in Florence at the Open Directory Project

Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory

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