Firenze: My 5 Favorite Things

1. Il Duomo di Firenze/ Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore:

This Cathedral took almost 200 years to make and it definitely shows, but it is indeed an amazing sight. Construction begun in 1296 in the Gothic style, and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome. The exterior of the basilica is made with various shades of green and pink marble panels bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th-century Gothic Revival façade. The dome itself even 600 years after its completion is still the largest dome built in brick and mortar in the world (you can see it in the last photo on this page where I took a picture of it from Piazzale Michaelangelo).

2. Piazzale Michelangelo: This Florentine piazza has the best views of the city, but it was definitely an uphill struggle! It was designed by architect Giuseppe Poggi and built in 1869 on a large hill just south of the historic center. The square, dedicated to the Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo, has bronze copies of some of his marble works found elsewhere in Florence: the David and the four allegories of the Medici Chapel of San Lorenzo.

3. Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens:

One of the mos BEAUTIFUL buildings I will ever see in my entire life. You really cannot compare any building to the work within these walls, it even contains part of the Medici family's former private collection (one of, if not the, wealthiest family in Italy's history). In addition to the Medici collection, the palace's galleries contain many Renaissance works, including several by Raphael and Titian, large collections of costumes (we got to see wonderful ballgowns), ceremonial carriages, silver, porcelain and a gallery of modern art dating from the 18th century. Adjoining the palace are the Boboli Gardens, elaborately landscaped and with numerous sculptures. Unfortunately we went on a rainy day, but the views were just as pretty from the inside!

4. Ponte Vecchio: Known as the "Old Bridge", it has a striking fear factor because of the multitude of shops built upon its edges, held up by the support of the bridge and stilts!

5. Palazzo della Signoria/ Palazzo Vecchio: The Palazzo Vecchio as well as the Duomo, or the city's Cathedral, are the two buildings which dominate Florence's skyline. The "Old Place" is the town hall of Florence, Italy. It overlooks the Piazza della Signoria with its copy of Michelangelo's David statue. (P.S. the Palazzo della Signoria is to the left of me, and the Duomo is to the right of me)