FLORENCE IS THE REAL ITALY

 

Florence, situated in the amazingly beautiful central Italian province of Tuscany, has long been hailed as the most beautiful city in Italy and one of the most stunningly pretty cities in the whole wide world. Carrying forward the Italian legacy of the Renaissance, Florence was the cradle – the birth place of the Renaissance and has always been a rather popular tourist attraction celebrated for its inclination towards art and culture.

Brief History of Florence

The genesis of Florence can be traced back to 59 B.C. when a certain Julius Caesar founded the city for housing retired military veterans and the Roman emperor chose to call this haven Florentia that meant ‘flourishing’. Due to its strategic location on a busy travel route between Rome and northern Italy, it rose in prominence till it became a bustling commercial hub and the capital of Tuscany (Tuscia) in circa 300 A.D.

It was this meteoric rise that soon brought about its decline. Because of its commercial significance, the city soon fell prey to the constant territorial skirmishes between the German Ostrogoths and the Byzantines and the battles and ensuing bloodbath reduced the population to less than one thousand citizens by 400 A.D., according to legends.  

Charlemagne restored a semblance of peace to the city and sparked off a streak of prosperity that continues even today, reaching a peak during the Renaissance. Florence was also a very powerful economic center, churning out its own gold currencies called ‘florin’ and opening Florentine banks all across Europe, under the powerful and wealthy Medici banking family. This Medici family also patronized the arts which led to a flourishing of art and culture during the early 14^th century.

The economic strength of the city soon attracted thousands of migrants, many of them artists and painters and sculptors and poets. And the creative wave that engulfed the city lasted till the 16^th century and beyond. Many of the artistic masterpieces of Leonardo Da Vinci, Ghirlandaio, Botticelli and Michelangelo and their paintings, architecture, sculptures and frescoes were created in this city during the Renaissance. Apart from its natural beauty, this is perhaps the main reason why so many millions of tourists flock to Florence every year.

Several attempts were made to pull the city out of the grasps of the powerful politics of the manipulative Medici family who ruled the city from behind the scenes. They were finally overthrown and expelled in 1527, but soon came back to reclaim power and became hereditary dukes of Florence from 1537 onwards. By 1569 they had become the grand dukes of Tuscany and ruled the territory for 2 more centuries.

Attractions in Florence

Some of the greatest artistic treasures of the world can be found in the hallowed precincts of the churches, cathedrals, palaces and museums, art galleries and theaters of Florence. For those of you, who want a taste of Florentine tourist attractions, be sure to visit the Accademia, The Palazzo Del Bargello, the Galleria degli Uffizi, the Baptistery and the cathedral. 

A few more attractions include the Piazza Della Repubblica, Forte Di Belvedere, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazzale Michelangelo, Santa Croce, BoboliGarden and Ponte Vecchio on the ArnoRiver, CampanileBellTower, Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore, Piazza Della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti.