Palazzo Vecchio in Florence
Florence is an ancient city whose origins stretch back nearly two thousand years when it was founded by Julius Caesar in 59 BC as a settlement camp for his veteran soldiers. Then it was named Florentia (“the flourishing”) and built in the style of an army camp; however, as it was the main route between Rome and the North, it became an important commercial center. While travel to the city centuries ago may have been difficult, today it’s no trouble to arrange for your choice of hotel. Florence , over the centuries, has become a focal point for culture and art. Starting with the Renaissance, the city has been hailed as the home or birthplace of some of the most recognizable names in history, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo , Donatello, Machiavelli, Botticelli, Galileo Galilei, and Florence Nightingale.
One of the most recognizable sites in the city includes the Palazzo Vecchio (in English, that’s the “Old Palace”), and it was built in 1299, 711 years ago, when the residents of Florence wanted a palace that was worthy of the city’s importance, and to provide better security when times were bad.
The architect of the Duomo and the Santa Croce church, Arnolfo di Cambio, began working on it on the ruins of Palazzo dei Fanti and Palazzo dell’Esecutore di Giustizia. Building on these ruins, he incorporated the structure of an ancient tower, which is why the rectangular tower that reaches as high as 308 feet is built off-center. The tower also contains two small prison cells, used in the 15th century, as well as a clock, which was designed originally by Nicolo Bernardo, but was replaced in 1667 with a clock made by Vincenzo Viviani.
While the Palazzo Vecchio is largely a museum today — the Museum of Children — it still represents local government; since 1872, the building has contained the office of the mayor of Florence, and it’s also the seat of the City Council. The museum, made up of two theaters, a multi-media room, and more, provide activities for everyone from toddlers to adolescents, from young adults to octogenarians; age at the museum is not as important as maintaining a curiosity and interest in life and culture.
Once you’ve finished visiting the Old Palace, take a walk through the Piazza della Signoria, where you’ll find a copy of Michelangelo’s David, as well as an entire gallery of statues in the Loggia dei Lanzi .
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