Overview:

Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence, Italy and one of the most prominent and prestigious buildings of the city. Built in the 13th century, it served as the home of the ruling Medici family until the late 16th century, when it was converted to a public palace. The palace still remains a political institution to this day and serves as the seat of the mayor of Florence. It is a beautiful and historic building with many attractions, including the Salone dei Cinquecento, an impressive hall adorned with frescoes by many Renaissance artists. The palace also houses the museum of the Archeological Museum of Florence and the Museo delle Case di Vasari, which showcases the architectural accomplishments of Giorgio Vasari. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Italy
Prominent Features:

1. Gothic façade: The original building was built in the late 13th century and was designed in a Gothic style, a style popular at the time, with a polychrome marble façade on the principal front facing the Piazza della Signoria. 2. Frescoes: The building is particularly famed for its many-worked frescoes, which were added to the walls of the palace, and constitute one of the most important examples of Italian Renaissance paintings. 3. Civic Tower (Torre di Arnolfo): The prominence of the civic tower is still evident today, and was a Renaissance addition to the building added in 1334. It reaches over 85 metres and affords an excellent view of the whole city and of the nearby hills over the River Arno. 4. Hall of Five Hundred: The mammoth audience hall of the upper floors, known as the Hall of Five Hundred was added in 1494 and has a ceiling with frescoes painted by Leonardo da Vinci. 5. Wall decorations: Other decorated elements, such as the Salone dei Cinquecento and its walls, are filled with hundreds of coats of arms, frescoes and marble friezes from well-known Italian Renaissance artists, such as Giorgio Vasari and Alessandro Allori. 6. Bronze Statue of David: This iconic bronze statue, created by the sculptor Donatello, was originally installed in the palace courtyard in the 1430s and it is a replica of the famous Michelangelo statue located in the nearby Galleria dell' Accademia di Firenze. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Italy.

History:

Palazzo Vecchio is a palace in Florence, Italy that dates back to the 14th century. It was originally built by the Medici family as the City Hall, or Palazzo della Signoria, of Florence. It served as the city’s government palace until the late 19th century, when it was restored to its current state – a museum. Palazzo Vecchio stands as a symbol of the city’s civic pride, with its imposing architecture and grandiose Treasury rooms. The palace began to take shape in 1299 when the main square of Florence, the Piazza della Signoria, was built. From there, the Palazzo della Signoria was built over the next couple of centuries in the gothic architectural style, full of grand arches and pointed towers. The great hall of the palace was used as a meeting place for the Florentine Republic’s government, and construction on the palace continued into the 15th century, stretching from Piazza della Signoria to Palazzo del Bargello. In 1540, the Medici family regained power and transformed the palace into their own residence. Cosimo I de’ Medici, the most famous member of the family, added defensive towers to the palace and greatly expanded the walls, turning the elegant palace into an imposing fortress. In the 18th century, the Medici dynasty ended and the palace fell out of use, slowly degrading into a neglected state. In the late 19th century, it was restored to its original state and opened to the public, standing today as a museum and monument to the city. It is now recognized as one of the most important buildings in Florence, both for its historical significance and its grandeur. Visit one of the famous monuments of Italy with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. Palazzo Vecchio, which translates from Italian to '“Old Palace”, is one of the oldest and most iconic buildings in Florence, Italy. 2. Originally built in 1299, the palace served as the original residence of the Florentine Signoria. 3. Palazzo Vecchio was designed by famous Italian architects, including Arnolfo di Cambio and Simone Talenti. 4. The palace features many iconic pieces of sculpture and paintings, including Michelangelo's Doni Tondo and Giambologna's David. 5. It was the main political and religious centre for Florence until 1540, when Florence's Grand Duke, Cosimo I dé Medici and his family moved their official seat to Palazzo Pitti. 6. The palace is located in the centre of Florence's historic city centre and still stands today, hosting many visitors and tourists. 7. During the occupation of Nazis during the Second World War, the palace was used as a bunker. 8. Palazzo Vecchio is the home of Florence’s council chamber (Salone dei Cinquecento) and has hosted many famous political meetings in the past. 9. Since 1994, Palazzo Vecchio has been the property and city hall of Florence. 10. The palace is surrounded by a secret garden, known as the Boboli Garden, as well as Florence’s oldest bridge; the Ponte Vecchio. One of the historical monuments of Italy, it tells the story of a bygone era