This enormous 15C Renaissance palace dominates a sloping square which it borders on three sides. Only its rusticated masonry blocks soften the massivity of the architecture. Built to plans by Brunelleschi for the Pitti family, a rival dynasty to the ..

In 1444, Michelozzo was commissioned by Cosimo the Elder to build this palace, which was to form the backdrop for the brilliant humanist court of his grandson Lorenzo il Magnifico. The building’s exterior gives little indication as to the splendour w..

Founded by Cosimo the Elder, this library was extended by Lorenzo il Magnifico. The entrance is through an entrance on the left side in the church of San Lorenzo or through the delightful 15C cloisters (entrance to the left of the church). Its en..

Comprising of the New Sacristy and the Capella dei Principi (Princes’ Chapel), this was a project of Cosimo I but was not built until the 17C. The funerary chapel of the grand dukes, the Capella dei Principi is striking for its sheer scale and its so..

The Silver Museum's collections are made up of the treasures of the Medici and Habsburg-Lorraine families: from Lorenzo the Magnificent's famous vases to Cosimo I's cameos ; from François I's rock crystals to Marie-Madeleine of Austria's ambers..

Begun in 1279 as part of an attempted reconciliation between Guelphs and Ghibellines, work continued on this Dominican foundation until 1360. Dating from the middle of the 14C, the lower section of the façade has white and green marble geometric patt..

The museum contains objects and artworks primarily from Etruscan sites and necropolises, plus important Egyptian, Greek and Roman collections. Note in particular the Chimera (early 4C BC) by an Etruscan workshop from the Chiusi or Arezzo region and..

The Accademia is remarkable for its collection of sculpture by Michelangelo : four slaves intended to embellish the tomb of Pope Julius II in Rome, a Pietà known as La Palestrina (an early work) and, beneath a cupola, his great David , create..

This chapterhouse is covered with frescoes by Andrea Buonaiuto hailing the glory of the Dominicans (1365-1367). Comprising a series of allegorical figures and scenes, the frescoes were intended to be educational. On the left-hand wall the Triumph of ..

The convent was built for the Dominicans in the 15C by Michelozzo, on the orders of Cosimo the Elder. It has works by Fra Angelico (note the Annunciation gracing the staircase), who decorated each cell with a fresco. While the artist certainly ..

Slightly away from the city, the Hill Promenade offers superb glimpses of the city from the Oltrarno. Above Michelangelo Esplanade , the 11 and 12C Romanesque church of San Miniato is reached by a twisting, winding road. It was built in memory o..

Housed in the austere, medieval-era Palazzo Castellani, this museum dedicated to the history of science holds a rich collection of old scientific instruments . A significant portion of the exhibits comes from the collections of the Medici and Habsbu..

It was Cosimo I who, in the 16C, commissioned the building of the loggia of the so-called New Market, recognisable by its elegant Renaissance arcades. Today it houses a market with stalls selling souvenirs, embroidery work, lace, leather and pietre ..

Michelangelo purchased a group of three houses which he left in the hands of his nephew in 1534 with his plans for alterations when he moved to Rome. Thus, although the Master designed the Casa where his soul and spirit are omnipresent, he never li..

The gallery presents primarily Tuscan works, illustrating the various trends in Italian painting and sculpture from the late 18C to the first decades of the 20C. Among the gallery's most notable possessions are an exceptional series of works by the ..

Two decorated cloisters running along the west aisle of the church make Santa Maria Novella one of the most exceptional sites in Florence. They bring to the church-museum three memorable examples of the history of art: the green cloister decorated ..

A double flight of stairs leads to the delightful villa of the Casino del Cavaliere, which was built in the late 17C for Cosimo III de Medici, and now houses the Porcelain Museum. The first rooms contain principally French pieces, including two Sèvr..

In 1419, with his design for the Foundling Hospital, Brunelleschi marked the beginning of a return to ancient classical style, heralding the era of Renaissance architecture. The portico, with a short flight of steps, is composed of 9 semicircular a..

This Gothic church was rebuilt by Michelozzo in Renaissance style and a ceiling (1664) and decorated chapels added in the 17C, giving it a Baroque appearance. There are striking frescoes by Andrea del Sarto in the atrium and the Cloister of the ..

Jesus, had just instituted the Eucharist and, at this Last Supper, revealed the betrayal of one of the twelve. This is the precise moment that del Sarto chose to illustrate. The surprise and discussions between the apostles are depicted by questionin..