Day Twelve : Firenze

Firenze is a city in the center of Tuscany, in central Italy. A centre of medieval European trade and finance, the city is sometimes considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Florence is famous for its wealth of fine art and architecture.

Piazza del Duomo is Florence's religious heart. Here stands the Duomo, the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence and is noted for its distinctive dome. The Duomo, Europe's fourth largest cathedral, was begun in 1296 by the architect Arnolfo di Cambio. It is flanked by a freestanding campanile (bell tower).

Rallies were held in Florence, mainly by students and teachers, directed against a number of government decrees affecting workers’ rights and social conditions.

The government of Silvio Berlusconi intends to undermine the public pensions system in favour of private schemes. The government is also pushing projects for funding private schools at the expense of the public schools.

Where Piazza del Duomo serves as Florence's religious heart, the city's second great square is Piazza della Signoria. It is home to the Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of city government for seven centuries.

Michelangelo's 'David' was intended to be outdoors. The statue was originally placed in the front of the Palazzo della Signoria. To protect it from damage, in 1873 it was moved to the Galleria della Accademia, where it attracts many visitors. A replica was placed in the piazza in 1910.

The Ponte Vecchio, is of course the oldest bridge in town. The first Ponte Vecchio was a wooden bridge but the river destroyed it in 1333. The present bridge was built in 1345. It is now world famous for its jewelry shops.

Benvenuto Cellini (November 1st, 1500 – February 13th, 1571) was an Italian goldsmith, painter, sculptor, soldier and musician of the Renaissance.

The Florentine skyline, with the cathedral (right), Campanile (center), and Palazzo Vecchio (far left).

Piazza Michelangelo is on a hill on the south bank of the Arno River, just east of the center of Florence. Designed in 1869 by Poggi, it offers a great view of the city, and is a very popular tourist destination.

The Uffizi Gallery is a palace in Florence, holding one of the most famous museums in the world. Over the years, parts of the palace evolved into a storage place of many works of art collected by the Medici family. The Medici family was a powerful and influential Florentine family from the 13th to 17th century. The family produced three popes and numerous rulers of Florence.

The black and white marble facade of Santa Maria Novella, a church which is located very close to the train station.

All museums were closed because of the strike. Therefore, I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon in Siena.

Breakfast and Bed Euro 20 per night
Contact : Lee (+39-055-210259 or +39-347-9570858)
E-mail : firenze1955@hotmail.com
Review : A chinese-owned B&B in Florence. Clean and free korean-style dinner provided. Good location, clean dorm and very kind dorm lady. Very recommended.