Florence stands as the cradle of the Renaissance and arguably the art capital of the world. The city streets feel like an open-air museum, filled with masterpieces by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Botticelli. Furthermore, the local culture blends high-class history with gritty traditions that date back to the Middle Ages. Consequently, this Tuscan jewel offers much more than just pretty paintings and wine. Explore these fascinating details about the city known as Firenze.
Florence
Julius Caesar actually founded the city in 59 BC. He established the settlement specifically for his retired soldiers.
The famous Ponte Vecchio is the only bridge the German army did not destroy during World War II. Reportedly, Adolf Hitler ordered his troops to spare the structure because he admired its beauty.
Visitors sometimes suffer from a real medical condition known as Stendhal Syndrome. This illness causes rapid heartbeats and fainting when a person views too much beautiful art at once.
Bartolomeo Cristofori invented the piano in Florence around the year 1700. He worked for the Medici family when he created the instrument that plays “soft and loud.”
The city served as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy for a brief period. During this time, the government demolished the ancient walls to build the wide boulevards we see today.
Locals play a brutal sport called Calcio Storico. This violent game combines soccer, rugby, and bare-knuckle boxing in a sand pit every June.
The magnificent dome of the Florence Cathedral remains the largest brick dome in the world. Filippo Brunelleschi built the massive structure without using any supporting scaffolding.
Small “wine windows” dot the walls of noble palaces throughout the city. Wealthy families used these tiny wooden doors to sell surplus wine safely during the plague.
Bernardo Buontalenti invented modern gelato in Florence during the 16th century. He created a frozen dessert made with milk, honey, and eggs to impress guests at a banquet.
The Museo Galileo displays the actual middle finger of the famous astronomer Galileo Galilei. Admirers removed the finger from his body 95 years after his death.
Carlo Collodi, the author of The Adventures of Pinocchio, grew up in Florence. Consequently, shops sell wooden puppets of the famous liar on almost every street corner.
The Uffizi Gallery originally served as administrative offices for the magistrates. In fact, the word “Uffizi” literally translates to “offices” in old Italian.
Michelangelo’s statue of David stands at a massive height of 17 feet (5.17 meters). The artist carved the masterpiece from a single block of marble that other sculptors had discarded.
Guccio Gucci founded the famous luxury fashion house in Florence in 1921. He opened a small leather shop after working as a luggage porter in London.
Finally, bakers in Florence traditionally make their bread completely without salt. Historical theories suggest this practice began when rival Pisa blocked salt shipments to the city.
