PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA, Piazza Della Signoria

Hi, I'm James, your personal guide. Together with MyWoWo, I'd like to welcome you to one of the wonders of the world.

Today I'll accompany you through Piazza della Signoria, which is one of the most characteristic sights in Florence!

There are few cities in Italy where it is so easy to understand the separation between religious power, represented by the Cathedral, and civil power, concentrated here in Palazzo Vecchio, which MyWoWo talks about in three separate files. Repeated architectural modifications have not altered the square's solemn character, which fully conveys a sense of the city's history, art, and culture.

Situated at the entrance to the crowded Via de' Calzaiuoli, the square welcomes you into a compact and severe scenario with a prevalent medieval character, although the 15th and 16th-century sculptures, partially replaced by copies, make it a true open air museum.

The palaces that set the square's backdrop are from different ages, although they were largely restored in the 1800s to create a homogeneous set around the two main buildings: Palazzo Vecchio, and the three great sandstone arches of the beautiful Loggia dei Lanzi.

Under the loggia you can admire a splendid series of statues, among which I would especially like to point out Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini, an absolute masterpiece of bronze sculpture from the the mid-1500s, and the marble Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna....