subject: Tourist Attractions In Florence - The Duomo And Uffizi Districts [print this page] We hope that you have been enjoying our series of articles and guest articles on Italian tourist attractions. You may have noticed that, unlike our guest authors, we have not written about what to see in Italy's major cities. In a sense we have left the best for last. We are going to do something different, we will describe what to see in Italy's great cities neighborhood by neighborhood. You may not realize it, but Florence is divided into 9 districts. And each and every one of these districts boasts its own sightseeing attractions. Our goal is an article for each of the neighborhoods. But we will be flexible; some of the neighborhoods have so many places of interest that we just can't shoehorn them all into a single article. And other neighborhoods are relatively underprivileged; it may make sense to combine two districts. Please keep coming back; we'll be adding articles constantly.
The Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore (Saint Mary of the Flower) Cathedral and its enormous dome dominate the city of Florence. Work on it started at the end of the Thirteenth Century and lasted well over one hundred years. In fact, the Cathedral facade was only completed in 1887. The dome itself weighs over 35,000 tons and uses 4 million bricks. If you are in good shape, climb the 463 steps to the top of the dome for a great view of the city. But don't risk your health. The Campanile (Bell Tower) also offers a great city view, and is surely less crowded. The Cathedral hosts great art works including a fresco of the Last Judgment. You may want to visit the crypt beneath the Cathedral, which includes an Eleventh Century cemetery.
The Baptistery of Saint Mary of the Flower is one of Florence's oldest buildings. Although locals claim that it had been a Roman temple dedicated to Mars, it probably originated in the Fourth or Fifth Centuries. Of course parts of it are more recent, such as the Eleventh Century Romanesque arches. The bronze Renaissance doors are now displayed in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, but you will love the copies. Look closely for depictions of Biblical scenes. The east doors even include a small bust that serves as a self-portrait of the artist, Lorenzo Ghiberti, who spent decades creating these most extraordinary doors. I think he's entitled to sign his work.
The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo houses superb works taken from the Cathedral, the Baptistery and from the Bell Tower. You'll find works from Donatello (not the teenage mutant Ninja turtle) and Michelangelo's Pieta, brought here from the Duomo in 1981. We will certainly be coming back for more sights to see in this magnificent part of this superb city.
We hope that you are enjoying our series of articles and guest articles on Italian tourist attractions, covering the entire country except for its major cities. In a sense we have left the best for last. We will describe what to see in Italy's great cities neighborhood by neighborhood. You may not realize it, but Florence is divided into 9 districts. And each and every one of these districts boasts its own sightseeing attractions. If you have time, visit them all. In any case, read these articles to help plan your trip to Florence. You may be in for some real surprises.
The Uffizi district of central Florence is just south of the Cathedral. This district owes its name to the Uffizi Gallery, founded by the De Medici family towards the end of the Sixteenth Century. The Uffizi Gallery is one of the oldest and finest museums in the world. If you have any interest in art, don't even think of visiting Florence without visiting this museum on the banks of the Arno River. Its artists include Botticelli, Michelangelo, Rembrant, and Titian. The best time to visit, crowd wise, is late afternoon. Right next to the gallery is arguably Florence's most spectacular public square, Piazza della Signoria, which has been Florence's center of political power for countless centuries. Don't be disappointed; some of the statues here including Michelangelo's David are mere copies.
Florence's town hall, the Palazzo Vecchio, was built in the dying days of the Thirteenth Century. The bell on the tower was added some three decades later. Take the time to visit the three courtyards. The Loggia dei Lanzi is a Fourteenth Century museum that isn't in the same league as the Uffizi gallery but is still worth visiting. Don't miss Cellini's statue, Perseus with the Head of Medea, a statue that took him ten years to complete and almost cost him his life.
The Ponte Vecchio is the oldest and undoubtedly the most romantic bridge crossing the river Arno. It is one of the oldest stone bridges in all Europe, dating back to Roman times. This is the only local bridge to survive the Second World War. At one time the Ponte Vecchio housed food shops but for centuries has been home to fancy goldsmiths and silversmiths. In the middle of the bridge you'll find a bust of Benvenuto Cellini, one of the city's most famous goldsmiths.
Cellini's fame pales when compared to that of Dante Alighieri (born in Florence in 1265), author of the Divine Comedy. This district hosts Dante's House, a museum dedicated to this literary giant. Its ground floor is often used for modern art and sculpture exhibitions.
