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Excursion tour in Florence. Top architecture - monuments, castles, temples and palaces

«« BEGINNING - PART I

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Let’s move further. The upcoming famous architecture monuments of Florence that deserve to be mentioned are Basilica of San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella, Palazzo Vecchio, Santissima Annunziata, and Central Market. An overview of interesting facts and a collection of photographs are available for each monument. In order to plan a route for your real-life sightseeing tour in Florence, use our interactive map of sights in of Florence that is available below this article.

Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Basilica of San Lorenzo is one of the largest and oldest churches in Florence.
» The last of the world-famous Medici family, Anna Maria Ludovico, rests in peace in the Basilica.
» Interior of the church is recognized as a true work of art.
» Works of the great master Donatello: two bronze chairs dating back to 1460 and the sarcophagus of Martelli family are notable.
» Basilica of San Lorenzo serves visitors every day except Monday. There is an entrance fee in the church. Access is free only on Sunday, when liturgy is held in the Basilica.

Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Santa Maria Novella is the first basilica in Florence, built in the 14-15th centuries.
» In the temple you can see many works of art by Florentine masters of 14-16th centuries.
» The workshop of perfumery and pharmacy is situated at the Basilica. That’s one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe.
» The famous early Renaissance fresco Trinity (Masaccio) was created in this church.
» The Big Chapel is of particular interest in the church. There, behind the altar, you can see the unique crucifix and a large number of frescoes created by Michelangelo.

Palazzo Vecchio, Florence

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Palazzo Vecchio is the Florence town hall. Now many rooms of the palace are converted into the museum.
» Before entering the palace you can see a number of beautiful statues, including a copy of Michelangelo's David, Hercules and giant Kakus, and works of Bandinelli.
» The first floor of the Palazzo Vecchio features a magnificent hall, Salon de Cinquecento (or Hall of the Five Hundred). This room is decorated with large murals, which tell about the famous battles of Florence, as well as painted scenes from the personal life of Cosimo I de Medici.
» Five-rooms of Hall of Elements emblematize five elements, fire, water, air, earth and ether.
» Despite the fact that a large part of the palace is now a museum, the Palazzo Vecchio is still the location of municipal authorities in Florence.

Santissima Annunziata, Florence

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Santissima Annunziata is the basilica in Florence, built in 1250. That’s one of the most revered shrines.
» The church is the burial place of several artists of the Renaissance.
» Florentine brides traditionally visit this shrine to leave their bouquets here.
» There is the organ here dating back to 1628, which is the oldest in Florence and the second oldest in Italy.
» Italian writer Maria Veltorta rests in peace here.

Central Market, Florence

Location on the map:
Facts: » The Central Market is the largest food market in Florence.
» The market is situated in the heart of the city, near the Basilica of San Lorenzo.
» The market is a spacious two-story building built in the second half of the 19th century.
» Vegetables, fruits, sausages, cheeses, meats, and wines are sold inside.
» Outside of the building there are stalls with textiles and leather goods.
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Plan your own tour over Florence on the monuments map

More to see in Florence
Of course, Duomo remains the most vivid architectural landmark of Florence. No monument of the past can match with the beauty of this great place. In addition to the magnificent cathedral, visitors of the city must see Baptistery, which facade is lined with delicate marble tiles. The baptistery’s facing was made yet in the 12th century and two centuries later the dome of the building was decorated with beautiful Byzantine mosaics. The gate in front of the building is also decorated with panels with bas-reliefs, which depict John the Baptist. The center of the city is the location of another prominent religious attraction - the Basilica of Santa Croce. This church was built in Gothic style, and its rooms are decorated with beautiful frescoes by Giotto. The basilica is the location of several tombs of great figures of the country. The beautiful church of Santa Maria Novella is located next to Grand Central Station. This place also attracts travelers with its unusual architecture and luxurious interior decoration. Dominican monks began to build the church in the 13th century, but the building ended with the erection of the shrine only 200 years later. Perhaps, Uffizi Gallery is the most famous and attractive cultural institution of the city. This place is certainly worth visiting regardless of the fact whether you are a connoisseur of art or just a tourist. House of Dante is surely a vibrant cultural attraction of the city. A beautiful old mansion - the birthplace of the … Read further

Tours through neighbours of Florence

Venice
St Mark Basilica is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. That’s most famous of the churches of the city and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture in Western Europe. Since the 9th century, the basilica was known as the Golden Church and was the symbol of Venetian wealth. It owed its second name to luxurious furnishings and golden mosaics. The cathedral has a free-standing bell tower of about 100 meters ... Open »
Rome
The Colosseum was the largest amphitheater in the entire ancient world. It could receive as many as 50,000 people. Originally, it consisted of four floors; the first three had wide arched entrances, while the fourth had rectangular doorways. From historical sources it’s known that grand gladiatorial games were held at the opening of the Colosseum. About 5,000 wild animals were released in one day. Roman Coliseum is depicted on 5-eurocent ... Open »
Milan
The Milan Cathedral is one of the main attractions of Milan located in the historic center of the city. The Cathedral is built of white marble in the Flamboyant Gothic style. The Milan Cathedral is the fifth largest church in the world. The temple can accommodate up to 40,000 people. There are about 3,400 statues in the cathedral. The main attraction inside the cathedral is the golden statue of patron saint of Milan. The roof of the Milan ... Open »
Torino
The Mole Antonelliana has been the highest building in Turin and even in France until 2011. It was designed by architect Alessandro Antonelli. Originally, it served as a synagogue for the Jewish community in 1863. It was planned that the building would be 66 m high. Antonelli was obsessed with high buildings. As a result, the tower is 167.5 m high. The 90-year-old architect did not manage to complete the project and see his creation. ... Open »
Nice
Sainte-Reparate Cathedral was built in 1699 in honor of the patroness of Nice. According to the legend, young Reparata from Palestine professed Christian faith and died in agony for this when she was 12 years old. Angels brought a boat with the young saint to Nice, to the shore of the Angel Bay that was named after this event. The cathedral is located in an old part of the city. It is a typical construction built in baroque style. The ... Open »
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