| Page Views: 225 Last Visit to Florence: - | Florence, Italy by al_mary - last update: Feb 27, 2006 |
Florence In Italian: Firenze
Florence, in Italian: Firenze, is the capital city of the region of
Tuscany, Italy . From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital
of the Kingdom of Italy.
Florence lies on the Arno River and was the center of medieval
European trade and finance, the city is often considered to be the
birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and was long ruled by the
Medici family.
Florence is also famous for its fine art and architecture. It is said
that, of the 1,000 most important European artists of the second
millennium, 350 lived or worked in Florence.
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|  | Florence And The Renaissance
The surge in artistic, literary, and scientific
investigation that occurred in Florence in the
14th thru the 16th centuries was precipitated
by Florentines' preoccupation with money,
banking and trade and with the display of
wealth and leisure.
Added to this, the crises of the Catholic church,
especially the controversy over the French Avignon
Papacy and the Great Schism, also along with the
catastrophic effects of the Black Death were to lead
to a re-evaluation of medieval values, resultant in
the development of a humanist culture, stimulated
by the works of Petrarch and Boccaccio.
This prompted a revisitation and study of the classical
antiquity, leading to the Renaissance.
Florence benefited materially and culturally from this
sea change in social consciousness.
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Florence In General
At the very heart of the city is the great
Fountain of Neptune, which is truly a
masterpiece of marble sculpture at the
terminus of a still fully functioning Roman
aqueduct. 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.
Many of the bridges across the Arno were built
by the Romans.One of the bridges in particular,
however, stands out as being unique, The Ponte
Vecchio, whose most striking feature is the large
multitude of shops built upon its edges, held up
by stilts.
First constructed by the Etruscans in ancient times,
this bridge is the only one in the city to have survived
World War II intact.
The most famous palace in the city is San Lorenzo,
which has become a monument to the Medici family
who were one of the most powerful families that lived
in Florence during the 15th century.
Nearby is the Uffizi Gallery, one of the finest art
galleries in the world.
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al_mary's Florence Travel Tips
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Tips: 11 - Photos: 12 | | | | Restaurants | Hotels & Accommodations | | | | Nightlife | Off The Beaten Path | | | | Tourist Traps | Warnings Or Dangers | | | | Transportation | Local Customs | | | | Packing Lists | Shopping | | | | Sports Travel | General Tips |
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