Famous Buildings in Florence | Most Visited Landmarks in Florence

One of the most beautiful cities in Italy is Florence. The buildings of Florence are famous for its excellent Renaissance architecture, historical perspective, impressive artworks, and museums that house works of well-renowned artists of all time like Michelangelo, Botticelli, Da Vinci, and more. This romantic destination appeals to couples who want to spend some quality time away from their31 daily bustles. However, it’s also a wonderful destination for solo travelers or groups of friends seeking a thrilling vacation. With load abs to see and do, Florence will certainly fascinate you when you decide to visit. In case you want to go sightseeing around the city’s exquisite structures, read on and discover the top 10 most famous buildings in Florence.

Most Visited Building & Landmarks in Florence

1. Uffizi Gallery

Overlooking the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno River, Uffizi Gallery is the most iconic and one of the most important museums in Florence. This iconic building in Florence offers numerous galleries that exhibit the works of the famous artists of all time like Michaelangelo, Raffaelo, Botticelli, and more. It was originally the administrative center of Medici and then it was turned into a museum that showcases excellent artworks from famous artists.

The Uffizi Gallery welcomes over a million visitors each year and is a must-see destination for anyone visiting Florence and Tuscany. The Uffizi Gallery and Vatican Museums in Rome, are the top two most visited historic buildings in Italy by visitors from all across the planet and at the museum’s entrance, the long lines are almost as famous as its masterpieces!

Address: Piazzale degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy.

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2. Basilica of Santa Spirito

The Basilica of Santo Spirito is also an example of Renaissance architecture, though unlike Santa Maria Novella or Santa Croce, the façade of Santo Spirito was left bare, without decoration of marble and sculpture. Today this ancient building in Florence is painted completely white and it has a modest, almost angelic quality to its plain exterior. The interior houses a number of frescoes in its many side-chapels as well as Michelangelo’s wooden crucifix. When Michelangelo was 17, he was given permission to make studies of the bodies coming from the hospital, even though this practice was illegal, and so he based this tiny wooden figurine of Christ on his anatomical, true-to-life drawings.

Address: Basilica of Santa Spirito, Florence, Italy.

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3. Giotto’s Campanile

If you’re an architecture enthusiast and are looking for a great example of the Florentine Gothic architectural style, then you have to see the Campanile di Giotto. It features marble in the hues of green, pink, and white. You also have to climb to the top of the structure to see marvelous vistas over Florence. This important historical building in Florence was made between 1334 and 1359 and was a collective work of three artists; Giotto started it, followed by Pisano, and finished by Talenti.

Address: Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy

4. Pazzi Chapel

Considered as a significant example and a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, the Pazzi Chapel, which is in the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence, serves as the Cathedral Chapter House and a classroom dedicated to religious teachings. The iconic landmark in Florence was built between 1442 and 1443 and has renaissance influence, which you can see in its beautiful dome and its little details. Many artists contributed to this splendid chapel making it an extraordinary example of the Early Renaissance style. While the chapel’s interior has a distinctive Brunelleschian look (you’ll see many similarities if you visit the Old Sacristy in San Lorenzo Church in Florence, which was designed by the same architect), the portico has been attributed by critics to Giuliano da Maiano, Rossellino or Michelozzo.

Address: 50122 Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy

5. Hall of the Five-Hundred

One of the main attractions in Palazzo Vecchio is the Hall of the Five Hundred. This hall is considered as the largest room in Italy and has a size of 18m (59.05ft) high, 23m (75.46ft) wide, and 54m (177.16ft) long. This ancient building in Florence is also made more popular by the mention of it in Dan Brown’s bestselling novel with the title of Inferno. If you’re visiting the Uffizi or Ponte Vecchio, this is right on the way and well worth it. Only a small part is open to the public, but it is free and wonderfully decorated, as you would expect of the place once guarded by the Statue of David (a copy now sits outside).

Address: Piazza Della Signoria, 2, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy.

Also Read: Famous Castles of Tuscany

6. Santa Maria Novella

One of the oldest churches of the Dominican Order in Florence is the Basilica of Santa Maria Novela that dates back to the middle ages. This building was created using a mixture of architectural styles. The construction of this popular building in Florence started with a Gothic style, and after 200 years, the façade was finished using the Renaissance architectural style, which you can see in its Romanesque columns, arches, and pediments. Another notable thing about the structure is it is home to the Holy Trinity, which is a masterpiece of Masaccio.

Address: Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, 18, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy

7. Palazzo Pitti

Another famous structure and beautiful building in Florence is the grand Palazzo Pitti or the Pitti Palace. It is one of the biggest museums in Florence, which houses numerous different galleries, the lovely Boboli Gardens, and the astonishing and jaw-dropping gown of Eleanor di Toledo. Originally, the palace was made for a Florentine banker then later on bought by Toledo and has been in the Medici Family for centuries before being transformed into a museum. This palace is greatly influenced by the Renaissance style of architecture which you can see in its symmetrical elements.

Address: Piazza de’ Pitti, 1, 50125 Florence, Italy

8. Basilica of San Lorenzo

Untouched and preserved, the façade of the Basilica of San Lorenzo makes it the oldest structure in Florence. This important landmark in Florence is the parish church of the Medici, a wealthy family in Florence during the 1400s. One of its notable features is its symmetry and harmony which is an impressive example of the Renaissance architectural style. Apart from the Renaissance style, Michelangelo’s new sacristy, which is a part of the basilica, used an almost Mannerist style of architecture that was a notable style in the 1520s.

Address: Piazza di San Lorenzo, Florence, Italy.

9. Palazzo Vecchio

One of the most impressive town halls in Tuscany is the Palazzo Vecchio. This historical building in Florence is a fortress-palace with a tall Gothic, Romanesque bell tower that conveys an image of strength and power of the Republic of Florence, which is much needed during the year 1299, for the republic is faced with political turmoil. The creation of the town hall is the first form of democracy, wherein the people voted for the creation of a palace to serve as a town hall. It is also evident in its façade, the shields, and emblem of the notable and significant worker guilds which depict diversity and the wealth of the place.

Address: Piazza Della Signoria, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy

10. Villa Bardini

If you want to visit a place off the beaten path, Villa Bardini is the perfect location. The 17th-century villa is reminiscent of the city’s “Casini di Delizia”, buildings created for leisure that was meant to be both productive and ornamental. As well as its clean, beautiful architecture, an important historical building in Florence is worth visiting for its gorgeous garden that consists of an Italianate garden, an English wood, and an agricultural park, and offers a wonderful view of the city. Together, the house and garden give visitors a unique insight into Florence’s history and style. Villa Bardini also has a museum dedicated to artist Pietro Annigoni, as well as an exhibition centre.

Address: 2-4 Costa San Giorgio, Firenze, Toscana, 50125, Italy.

Also Read: Beautiful Cathedrals in Florence

11. Ponte Vecchio

One of the most exquisite structures and a unique building in Florence that you will see, which is not a museum or a church, is the Ponte Vecchio. It is a beautiful bridge, the oldest in Florence, and also the only bridge that remains intact even after the Nazi bombing during World War II. Another thing that separates it from the rest and makes it more unique is the colorful shops along the bridge that peaks out of the water.

Address: Ponte Vecchio, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy.

12. Basilica of Santa Croce

The basilica of Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan church in the world, and it houses an impressive 16 different chapels. For a while, this religious building in Florence was the rival Church of the Dominican Santa Maria Novella, and it was very popular amongst the poorer peasants of Florence during the late middle ages. Many of the most influential and culturally important Florentines and Italians have memorial monuments in the Santa Croce Basilica including Dante, Galileo Galilei, Machiavelli, and Michelangelo. The façade of the Church was greatly damaged during the devastating 1966 flood, but it has since been restored and its inlaid marble façade from the 19th century is still quite remarkable.

Address: Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence, Italy.

13. Piazza del Duomo (Florence Cathedral)

Florence’s Piazza del Duomo is located in the heart of the city, where in just one glimpse you can instantly admire the main monuments of the historic centre, also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Overlooking the square is the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore, originally begun by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296, and crowned in 1436 by Filippo Brunelleschi’s masterpiece: the Dome. This third biggest cathedral in the world is the symbol of Florence is an arduous and majestic structure, from where you can enjoy a fantastic panorama of the city and the cathedral’s interior.

Another giant stands out alongside the façade, Giotto’s Bell Tower, soaring in its chromatism, while the ancient Baptistery of San Giovanni Battista is located opposite the cathedral, a Romanesque jewel adorned with bronze doors by Ghiberti and Andrea Pisano.

Address: Piazza del Duomo, Florence, Italy.

14. The Bargello

Started in 1255, the Bargello is similar in style to the Palazzo Vecchio with its weighty fortress-like base and tall slender bell tower. It too was originally built as a civil building to house the City Commune of Florence and is the oldest public building in Florence. In the late 16th century, the Medici family turned the Bargello into a police headquarters and prison, which it remained until 1859 when it was turned into an art museum. Today this oldest building in Florence houses some of the most important statues and sculptures from both the Antiquity and the Renaissance, including Michelangelo’s Bacchus and Donatello’s David.

Address: Bargello, Florence, Italy.

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 15. Piazzale Michelangelo

Without admiring the beauty of Piazzale Michelangelo you cannot leave Florence. One of the best panoramas in the world will leave you breathless.

You can climb the hill starting from the Lungarni in the suburb of San Nicolò to reach the Piazzale Michelangelo. You can also get buses n. 12 or n. 13. If you have the car you can drive through the Viale dei Colli, one of my favorite boulevards in Florence. The road runs on the San Miniato hill and it represents the rebirth of the bourgeoisie. You will find that Piazzale Michelangelo truly offers a stupendous lookout over Florence no matter what time of day. In any case, however you spell it, it is one site that should not be missed. It may be a classic tourist stop, but this cultural historic building in Florence never fails to capture the heart and imagination of those who follow the path to the very top.

Address: Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence, Italy.

All the buildings & landmarks in Florence are famous. All you know, that the city of Florence is unified with incredible character and history, is actually what individuals first picture when they consider Tuscany and its most acclaimed milestones. Some brilliant building dwells inside the city, for example, the transcending Campanile di Giotto, a ringer tower so tall that when its chimes rang, they could be gotten notification from a significant stretch, either declaring the hour of Sunday mass or cautioning local people of conceivable peril.

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