Contrary to many other towns and cities, even in the very same region, Florence has not been founded by the Etruscans, but by the Romans. The ancient Roman road plan can still be traced in much of the contemporary Florentine road plan. Florence knew to acquire lots of fame by being the birth place of teh Renaissance. Very important in relation to the Renaissance is the family of the Medici, who, from the 14th century A.D. on, drew power within the city more and more towards themselves. They uplifted art and science onto a level that has not been surpassed by the rest of Italy for a long time. The results of the increased building activities by them can still be seen in the city. For example, the Duomo: for the first time in history, people could build a dome with a height of 106 m., under the leadership of the architect Brunelleschi. Actually, the whole center of town looks like, and is, an open air museum. For example: the Piazza della Signoria is full of (copies of) statues made by world famous artists. Here, you will also find the Palazzo Vecchio, which was already built at the end of the 13th century, but rebuilt in the 16th century by Vasari at the request of one of the Medici.

Source: Pharos Reizen Website

Art Galleries in Florence

Museums in Florence