Florence – Santa Croce

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Santa Croce is a historic neighborhood of Florence located in the eastern portion of the city center. This area features some of the most famous attractions in the city, including the central Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery, along with other historic palaces and churches, and various museums.

✪ Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi) is one of the most important art museums in the world. The museum is hosted in a large 16th-century building complex located between Piazza della Signoria and the Arno river, and it features a long internal courtyard. The Uffizi Gallery houses a huge collection, mostly focused on Renaissance art, but also featuring works from other periods. The museum hosts countless masterpieces by artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Botticelli, Verrocchio, Giotto, Cimabue, Titian, Piero della Francesca, and many more. Among the most remarkable rooms in the gallery is the Sala del Botticelli, which hosts the famous Primavera and The Birth of Venus (Nascita di Venere) by Botticelli. Meanwhile, the octagonal Tribuna was built in 1584 to host the artworks of the collection of the Medici family, and constitutes the first nucleus of the modern museum.

✪ Palazzo Vecchio

Palazzo Vecchio is a historic palace erected between the 13th and 14th century facing Piazza della Signoria, which serves to this day as the town hall of Florence and is a symbol of the city. Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, it has been for centuries the seat of local power and it hosted the Parliament of the Kingdom of Italy between 1865 and 1871, when Florence was the capital of the country. The imposing building features a tall civic tower and three internal courtyards. The palace also hosts various decorated halls, including the Salone dei Cinquecento, which is the largest hall in Italy by volume and features elaborate frescoes. Many other richly decorated halls inside the palace house numerous valuable artworks.

✪ Piazza della Signoria

Piazza della Signoria has been for centuries the main square of Florence, and the center of local life. Dominated on one side by Palazzo Vecchio, it hosts many other historic landmarks, such as the Loggia dei Lanzi, the Tribunale della Mercanzia, the 16th-century Palazzo Uguccioni, and the 19th-century Palazzo delle Assicurazioni Generali. The square also features various statues, such as a copy of Michelangelo’s David in front of Palazzo Vecchio, the Equestrian Monument of Cosimo I by Giambologna, the Fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati, and copies of two statues by Donatello.

✪ Loggia dei Lanzi

Also known as: Loggia della Signoria

The Loggia dei Lanzi is a 14th-century building facing Piazza della Signoria. It features wide arches and it hosts numerous Roman and Renaissance sculptures, such as the Perseus with the Head of Medusa (Perseo con la Testa di Medusa) by Benvenuto Cellini and the Abduction of a Sabine Woman (Ratto delle Sabine) by Giambologna, both made in the 16th century.

✪ National Museum of Bargello

The National Museum of Bargello (Museo Nazionale del Bargello) is an art museum hosted in a former barracks and prison in Florence. The Palazzo del Bargello was built starting in the 13th century and was later reworked a few times. Initially serving as an administrative building, it then hosted the local police chief and was later turned into a prison, before becoming a museum in the 19th century. The museum features a large collection of sculptures including Donatello’s David, and various statues by Michelangelo, among works by many other artists. The museum also houses a collection of ceramics, coins, tapestries, and artworks made of ivory and silver.

✪ Galileo Museum

The Galileo Museum (Museo Galileo) is a science and history museum hosted in the 11th-century Palazzo Castellani facing the Arno river. The museum is dedicated to astronomer and scientist Galileo Galilei, and it houses one of the largest collections of historic scientific instruments in the world. The museum also features various rich exhibits on the history of science.

✪ Basilica of Santa Croce

The Basilica of Santa Croce is one of the main churches of Florence, built starting in the late 13th century. The structure was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio in Gothic style and saw various additions over its history, with the bell tower and Gothic Revival facade built only during the 19th century. The large church houses several richly adorned chapels, some of which feature 14th-century frescoes by Giotto, Taddeo Gaddi, and Agnolo Gaddi. The basilica is also known for hosting numerous tombs and funerary monuments, including those of Michelangelo, Galilei, Machiavelli, Ghiberti, Rossini, and many more. Here is also a cenotaph dedicated to Dante Alighieri. The cloister of the basilica hosts an art museum, which houses various artworks, including a large 13th-century crucifix painted by Cimabue and damaged during the 1966 flood of Florence. Other masterpieces housed here include a large 14th-century fresco by Taddeo Gaddi, and works by Vasari, Donatello, and other artists. Part of the cloister is the Pazzi Chapel (Cappella Pazzi), a decorated chapel considered one of the greatest works of Brunelleschi. The large Piazza Santa Croce is located in front of the church. This square features a monument dedicated to Dante Alighieri and it is surrounded by historic buildings.

Vasari Corridor

The Vasari Corridor (Corridoio Vasariano) is an elevated passageway that connects Palazzo Vecchio with Palazzo Pitti, passing through the Uffizi Gallery and crossing the Arno river on top of Ponte Vecchio. The corridor was designed by Vasari and built in 1565 to allow the members of the Medici family to easily and safely move between their palaces. The passageway hosts various paintings and artworks, and it features some panoramic windows on the sections running along the Arno river. The corridor also passes in front of the Church of Santa Felicita in Oltrarno. Here, a window allowed the Medici family to attend mass at the church without mingling with the people.

Tribunale della Mercanzia

The Tribunale della Mercanzia is a historic building facing Piazza della Signoria. Erected in the 14th century, now it houses the Gucci Museum (Museo Gucci), a museum dedicated to luxury fashion house Gucci. The museum features a rich exhibit that explores the long history of the brand, which was founded in Florence in 1921.

Church of Santo Stefano al Ponte

The Church of Santo Stefano al Ponte is a historic church located near Ponte Vecchio in Florence. The structure was built in Romanesque style in the Late Middle Ages, and was later reworked. The interiors of the church mostly date from the 17th century, and house some artworks. The church is now used to host art exhibitions.

Church of Orsanmichele

The Church of Orsanmichele is a peculiar church in the center of Florence. Originally built as a grain market during the 13th century, it was turned into a church over the following decades.The works were completed in 1404 and, around the same time, the exterior was adorned with various elaborate niches made by some of the most prominent artists of the Renaissance, such as Donatello, Verrocchio, and Brunelleschi. These niches have now been replaced by copies, and the originals are hosted in a museum inside the church. The interior features various frescoes and artworks.

Badia Fiorentina

The Badia Fiorentina is a historic abbey and religious complex in the center of Florence. Founded in 978, it was expanded various times, including Gothic additions by Arnolfo di Cambio, and more interventions during the Renaissance and the 17th century. The church houses several painting, sculptures, and other artworks. The adjacent cloister features a rich series of 15th-century frescoes.

Dante’s House Museum

The Dante’s House Museum (Museo Casa di Dante) is a museum dedicated to Florentine writer Dante Alighieri. Although it is not known if the medieval buildings that host the museum include the actual residence of Dante, the poet was born around this area, near the Badia Fiorentina. The museum houses an exhibition dedicated to the life and work of Dante. The adjacent Church of Santa Margherita dei Cerchi is thought to be the church where Dante held his marriage with Gemma Donati, and where he met his beloved Beatrice Portinari.

Horne Museum

The Horne Museum (Museo Horne) is a museum that hosts various historic pieces of furniture, many of which date from the Renaissance. The museum also features an art collection including many artworks from the 14th and 15th century, most notably the painting of Saint Stephen (Santo Stefano) by Giotto.

Casa Vasari

Casa Vasari is a museum hosted in the former residence of Renaissance artist and art historian Giorgio Vasari in Florence. The main hall of the palace features a large series of frescoes painted by Vasari. The scenes are focused on the theme of arts and depict scenes related to great painters from ancient history to the Renaissance.

National Central Library of Florence

The National Central Library of Florence (Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze) is one of the largest and most important libraries in Europe. Founded in 1714, it is hosted in a large decorated palace built in the early 20th century. The library houses a huge collection of historic volumes and manuscripts.

Casa Buonarroti

Casa Buonarroti is a museum in Florence dedicated to Renaissance artist Michelangelo, who was the owner of this palace. The collection of the museum includes various sculptures by Michelangelo, along with a series of other artworks gathered by the descendents of the artist. The museum also features various documents and frescoes that celebrate the life of Michelangelo.

Church of Sant’Ambrogio

The Church of Sant’Ambrogio is an ancient church in Florence, erected during the Late Middle Ages. For centuries a site of pilgrimage, it was adorned with numerous artworks by Renaissance artists, some of which have been moved to the Uffizi Gallery. The church also features various frescoes, sculptures, and decorations.

Great Synagogue of Florence

The Great Synagogue of Florence (Tempio Maggiore Israelitico di Firenze) is one of the largest synagogues in Italy, located in the center of Florence. The structure was erected in the late 19th century in Moorish Revival style and it features a large dome. The synagogue also houses various rich decorations and a museum dedicated to the history of the Jewish community of the city.

Church of Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi

The Church of Santa Maria Maddalena dei Pazzi is a historic church in Florence. Founded in the 13th century, the building was renovated during the Renaissance, and adorned with several artworks by some of the most prominent artists of the time. These were later removed, and have now been replaced with pieces by some minor artists. The church still houses the large fresco of the Crucifixion (Crocifissione) by Perugino, hosted in a dedicated room.