Florence
Florence, the capital of the
region of Tuscany, lies in a valley on either side of the River Arno, and
attracts over 2 million visitors a year, drawn by the city's unique
artistic legacy, synonymous with the flowering of the Italian
Renaissance. Florence is among the most prosperous cities in Italy, and
the centro storico (historic center) is surrounded by a sprawl of
suburbs and industrial complexes, whose factories contribute to the
occasional poor air quality. The superb architecture is severe and
uncompromising, and the city's narrow streets are crowded,
traffic-ridden, and noisy, making Florence less immediately pleasurable
for many visitors than other major Italian art centers.
The heart of the old city lies
on the north bank of the Arno, and is centered around the complex of the
Duomo (cathedral), surmounted by Brunelleschi's (1377-1446) great dome.
South from here lies the Piazza della Signoria, whose main building is
the Palazzo Vecchio, once the seat of Florence's government, and still
used by the city council. Just off the Piazza stretches the Uffizi, home
to what is arguably the world's most famous art gallery, housing a
staggering collection of great Renaissance paintings. Between and around
these two focal points are great palaces, museums, and churches, all
linked by some of Italy's most elegant shopping streets, home to big
designer names. South of the river is the Palazzo Pitti, a huge Medici
palace containing five museums and backed by the Giardini di Boboli, a
wonderfully formal park rich in tree-lined alleys, topiary, and
fountains. This southern area, the Oltrarno, has other fine churches and
thriving artisan workshops of every kind, while the Piazzale
Michelangelo, higher up the hill, gives superb views over the river,
(which is spanned by bridges such as the famous Ponte Vecchio), to the
whole city and its outlying hills.
Quality of Life in Florence
Florence has a thriving arts
scene, patronized at the top end by its well-heeled citizens, who can
enjoy a year-round cultural diet of art shows, opera, theater, and
ballet, while the large student population ensures the full range of
clubs and live-music venues. Restaurants, bars, and cafes are constantly
packed, shopping is among the best in Italy, and Florentines and visitors
can enjoy a wide range of spectator and participatory sports. These
benefits have to be balanced against a constant, year-round tourist
presence, placing immense burdens on the city council, which has to
balance the 21st-century needs of its citizens against Florence's role as
one of the world's most outstanding artistic treasure-houses, with all
that that implies.
History of Florence
Founded in 59 BC by Julius
Caesar (100-44 BC), Florence was a substantial walled settlement by the
eighth century, when it became part of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1115 the
city became a free Comune (city-state) run by a 100-strong
assembly. Banking and trade flourished, and a powerful oligarchy of
merchant princes emerged, pre-eminent among whom was the Medici family,
which controlled the city from 1458.
Under the Medicis, the
Renaissance blossomed, with architect, sculptors, and artists
embellishing the city. With some interruptions, the Medicis ruled
Florence and Tuscany until 1743, the city coming under French rule between
1799 and 1814. From 1865 to 1870, Florence was the capital of the newly
united Italy, and afterward remained capital of Tuscany, one of the
richest regions in Italy.
The 20th century saw tourist
numbers rise and world attention focused on the city following the
catastrophic floods of 1966 and again after the 1993 Uffizi bombing.
Florence today has to balance her role as an art city of immense
importance with that of a regional capital and industrial center.
