One of the largest squares in central Florence, Piazza della Signoria is one of the cultural hubs of the historic center and is home to many important sights. Palazzo Vecchio which was and still is city hall, sits prominently in this square. The Galleria degli Uffizi is also located just off of the square and is world renowned as one of the centers of Renaissance art.
Piazza della Signoria is one of the three primary squares of early Florence, taking the role of the political center of the city. It is impossible to talk about the square without talking about its most impressive structure, Palazzo Vecchio. Construction on Florence’s city hall was started in 1299 by demolishing two previously existing Palazzi on the site. During the construction process, the old substructure of the tower was maintained. The building was home to the Medici family until they moved across the river to Palazzo Pitti. Standing outside Palazzo Vecchio is a copy of Michelangelo’s David, located where the original sat until 1873, and the fountain of Neptune.
The inside of Palazzo Vecchio is a museum which showcases the rooms where Cosimo I lived and held audience. The first room you will enter is the Salone dei Cinquecento, or Room of 500, which represents the Grand Council of Florence. However at the time the room was not as big as it is today. When the Medici returned to Florence, it was enlarged by Giorgio Vasari by raising the roof. Vasari also designed the ceiling and walls of the enormous room, which depicts historical scenes from the Florentine Republic. The ceiling depicts Great Episodes from the life of Cosimo I. As you continue through the building, you will see where the Medici lived and small chapels where they prayed. During the warmer months, the Terrace of Saturn will be open allowing views to the southeast across the Arno. You can also see the Stanza del Guardaroba, where the Medici would keep their valuables. It is decorated with 53 maps which show what the world looked like at the time of the Medici. Tickets to enter Palazzo Vecchio cost 6 euros and it open from 9am to 7pm.
Piazza della Signoria is also home to the Loggia dei Lanzi. This area displays a number of famous sculptures and was built between 1376 and 1382. With the completion of the Galleria degli Uffizi, the roof of the Loggia was turned into a terrace where the Medici could watch the happenings in Piazza della Signoria. Today, the terrace is the cafe of the Uffizi Gallery.
The large Fountain of Neptune is also located in the square. It was constructed between 1563-1565. The face of Neptune in the statue is reminiscent of Cosimo I de’ Medici, and is representative of the Florentine rule over the seas.
Finally, on the ground near the fountain of Neptune is a small marble plaque which refers to Girolamo Savonarola. He was the leader of Florence from 1494 to 1498. Savonarola had taken over power in Florence after the Medici were overthrown by Charles VIII of France in 1494, and began what could be described as a ‘crackdown on the Renaissance’. Savonarola carried out the Bonfire of the Vanities which destroyed items that were associated with sin. Savonarola quickly lost favor with the populace and was excommunicated by Pope Alexander VI in 1497. This lead to his death on May 23, 1498 at the same spot the Bonfire of the Vanities had occurred a year earlier, which is exactly where this plaque sits. These events allowed the Medici to resume control of Florence in 1512.
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