The fortress style Romanesque town hall of Florence, Palazzo Vecchio is among one of the most spectacular buildings in the city! It’s located at Piazza della Signoria and houses many stunning artworks.
It’s had many names over the centuries such as Palazzo della Signoria and Palazzo Ducale but became known as Palazzo Vecchio meaning ‘Old Palace’ when the Medici family moved their primary residence to the Pitti Palace.
Book a stay in a beautiful holiday rental in Florence where you can easily travel into the city to visit the many attractions here.
The famous architect, Arnolfo di Cambio designed and oversaw its construction which commenced in 1299. He worked on other notable monuments in Florence including the Santa Croce church and the masterpiece that is the domed cathedral.
It’s had many names over the centuries such as Palazzo della Signoria and Palazzo Ducale but became known as Palazzo Vecchio meaning ‘Old Palace’ when the Medici family moved their primary residence to the Pitti Palace.
Book a stay in a beautiful holiday rental in Florence where you can easily travel into the city to visit the many attractions here.
The famous architect, Arnolfo di Cambio designed and oversaw its construction which commenced in 1299. He worked on other notable monuments in Florence including the Santa Croce church and the masterpiece that is the domed cathedral.
The tower of Palazzo Vecchio was not placed directly in the centre of the building as it was an existing old family tower already built on the site that Arnolfo incorporated into his design. Palazzo Vecchio is a stunning example of carefully executed stonework, gothic style windows and battlement framed roof but with an overall soft Romanesque appearance.
In the late 1500s Cosimo I de‘ Medici commissioned Giorgio Vasari to design and build an overhead connecting corridor starting from Palazzo Vecchio through the Uffizi Gallery, over Ponte Vecchio and onto his current residence in the Pitti Palace.
In the late 1500s Cosimo I de‘ Medici commissioned Giorgio Vasari to design and build an overhead connecting corridor starting from Palazzo Vecchio through the Uffizi Gallery, over Ponte Vecchio and onto his current residence in the Pitti Palace.
Palazzo Vecchio is now an art museum which houses a perfect replica of Michelangelo’s ‘David’ among its many treasures.
Walk through Palazzo Vecchio’s three inner courtyards and prepare to be amazed when you walk through the huge chamber called Salone dei Cinquecento.
Its ceiling and walls are covered with frescoes by famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti and many others.
Explore the many rooms of this ancient palace, filled with exquisite art and sculpture and learn about all the exciting events that took place here throughout the centuries such as the famous Pazzi Conspiracy against the Medici family!
Walk through Palazzo Vecchio’s three inner courtyards and prepare to be amazed when you walk through the huge chamber called Salone dei Cinquecento.
Its ceiling and walls are covered with frescoes by famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti and many others.
Explore the many rooms of this ancient palace, filled with exquisite art and sculpture and learn about all the exciting events that took place here throughout the centuries such as the famous Pazzi Conspiracy against the Medici family!
Photo credits
picture 1: JoJan / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Tetraktys / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Eusebius / CC BY 3.0
picture 1: JoJan / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Tetraktys / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Eusebius / CC BY 3.0
