FLORENCE FLO R E N CE Florence is a city that hasn’t forgotten a m o m e nt o f i t s p a s t , y e t is c o nt i n u o us l y evolving and bettering itself. As the capital of the T uscan R egion of I tal y , F lo r ence has a rich hi s - tory with a unique personality. Streets and infrastructure saturated with Renaissance influence also host sensational shops and contem - porary artists. Recipes handed down for ages mingle with modern dishes. Being in the center of the country, Florence draws influence from all the best Italy has to offer. Some of the benefits include: wines from neighboring world - renowned Chianti region, dishes from techniques handed down for generations, and close access to nearly all of Italy’s well known cities. The neighborhoods of Florence have held unique personalities throughout the city’s past and today is no different. Wandering down any cobblestone - laden street will inevitably lead to sights, sounds, and tastes you didn’t expect and can’t forget. Filling your days with memories is a breeze and your trip’ s biggest obstacle will likely be not having enough time. That’s what makes this guide a must, and we hope it helps you have the ideal Florentine experience WHAT Florence has something new in store around every corner. Each neighborhood has a flare and personality of its own. Towering stone walls hide delicate gardens. Art from the most renowned artists blend together with contemporary creations. The next pages outline the spots that true Florentines love most in their city, which is probably a great place to start. @coisasdejuc NEIGHBORHOODS OF FLORENCE Santa Croce - the art - filled church at the eastern edge of the centro storico is the focal point of one of the most genuine neighborhoods left in the center. Few tourists roam too far east of Piazza Santa Croce, so if you want to feel like a local, stay here. The streets around the Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio and Piazza de’ Ciompi have a special appeal, local feel, and they get lively after dark. The Santa Croce neighborhood boasts some of the best restaurants and bars. The city - aperitivo hour is vibrant along Via de’ Benci and there is always something going on along Via Panisperna and Via de’ Macci Customize your private Tour in Florence: www.florencetown.com WHAT TO SEE - Neighborhoods @luciapollynocera Santo Spirito - the trendy artisan quarter, with its bohemian spirit, Santo Spirito is often referred to as the most ‘genuine' neighborhood in Florence. Here, Italian hipster s an d E u r opea n ex - pat s ca n parta k e i n som e o f th e count r y ’ s mos t cel - ebrated traditions – sitting quietly, chatting with friends, and enjoying the view, food and drink Pick up spices from Chianti, special soaps and oils and don’t forget to stop by trendy Volume café for a caffè afterwards! Every second Sunday of the month the piazza transforms into a haven for lovers of antiques. People come from far and wide to browse through the old furniture and trinkets. D uom o N eighborhoo d - th e D uom o i s on e o f th e lastin g image s traveler s a s - sociate with Florence. Be sure to wear comfy shoes if you decide to climb to the top of the dome. Just a few blocks down, the famous Ponte Vecchio is full of jewelry shops, many of which have been in the hands of the same families for generations. Although overpriced, there are some wonderful pieces to be WHAT TO SEE - Neighborhoods @elimmayerson found. Around the corner, Piazza Signoria with the Palazzo Vecchio, the Gucci Museum, the Uffizi and other “must - see” spots are a visual feast for visitors The streets still vaguely follow the grid laid down when the city was a Roman colony and in the middle the grandiose Piazza della Repubblica. S a n N iccol ò – T hi s charmin g an d ve r y photogeni c a r e a i s locate d o n th e O ltra r - no side of the river just at the foot of Florence’s southern hills. Small cozy streets, a lovely piazza and lots of restaurants and enoteche (wine bars). Don’t forget to pass through the ancient city wall, head up the hills and go for a walk along the beautifu l V i a dell’ E rt a C anina , whic h wil l lea d yo u u p t o th e lovel y par k an d play - ground called Giardino della Carraia. San Niccolò is also a buzzing nightlife spot. When evening draws nigh, cross one of the bridges to drink and eat better food, at better prices, than you will generally find in the centro storico. San Lorenzo - is one of the most frequented neighborhoods, perhaps because o f it s gran d mar k e t i n th e middle , M e r cat o C entrale A mar k e t tha t sell s deli - cious produce from fruits and veggies to cheeses and meats. In the area around San Lorenzo is a street market boasting a huge selection of leather goods. Be picky, as the quality definitely varies from vendor to vendor, as do the prices. @manninafirenze Don’t be afraid to haggle! The Medici Chapel towers over this neighborhood where the tombs of the most famous Medici family members are located. The tombs were designed by Michelangelo which he was never able to finish, the sight of the chapel itself is just breathtaking. Needless to say San Lorenzo is always busy and full of people traffic. San Frediano - one of most popular neighborhoods in Florence and is becoming ever more fashionable. Entering through Porta San Frediano down Borgo San Frediano you’ll bump into the enormous Chiesa di Santa Maria di Carmine with its amazing Brancacci Chapel located inside, designed beautifully by Masaccio i n 1423 Sa n F r edian o ha s man y o f th e olde r artisan s stil l wor k in g i n thei r wor k - shops like in the past, creating new and authentic wood - working pieces such as furniture and picture frames. There are also artisans that restore old pieces of furnitu r e t o ma k e i t loo k bran d ne w T he y ca n definitel y boas t o f thei r craft s - manship done in the same way as centuries ago, as for Francheschi Cornici making frames for over 20 years. WHAT TO SEE - Neighborhoods @via_lense Piazzale Michelangelo - Piazzale Michelangelo was designed by architect Giuseppe P oggi an d buil t i n 186 9 o n a hil l jus t sout h o f th e histori c cente r , durin g th e r edevel - opment of Oltrarno, the left (South) bank of the Arno River. It was built as a terrace wit h a panorami c vie w o f th e cit y an d dedicate d t o th e R enaissanc e sculptor M ichel - angelo. The square houses a copy of the David and the four allegories of the Medici Chapel of San Lorenzo. Originally, it was intended to house a museum of works by Michelangelo. The view captu r e s th e hear t o f F lo r enc e f r o m F ort e B elvede r e t o Sant a C r oce , ac r os s th e lun - garni and the bridges crossing the Arno, including the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, the Bargello and the octagonal bell tower of the Badia Fiorentina. Beyond the city are the hills of Settignano and Fiesole. The Piazzale Michelangelo can be accessed by car along the tree - lined Viale Michelangelo, walking the stairs or going up the ramps from the Piazza Giuseppe Poggi, also known as the "Poggi Ramps" in the district of San Niccol ò. Customize your private Tour in Florence: www.florencetown.com anamart S tibber t M useu m - T he S tibbert M useum is a lesse r - k nown desti - nation in Florence that hosts the remarkable collection of Frederick Stibbert. The collection hosts not only armor and weaponry, but also includes art, home furnishings, clothing, and numerous miscellaneous items, altogether amounting to approximately 50,000 artifacts. The collection is located in Stibbert’s villa, which has been expanded more than once to accommodate all of the items. Palazzo Medici Riccardi - The Medici dynasty’s first city dwelling and later role model for Renaissance architecture in Florence. How was it to live in the Medici style? In this elegant and at that time innovative palazzo, do n ’t miss their private chapel of the M agi - a p r etext to de - pict some VIPs of the time besides all the Medici members, together with the G alle r y of L uca G io r dano, masterpiece of late B a r oque F lo - rentine art. Last but not least Michelozzo’s courtyard, the evocative Moreniana Library and remarking paintings, such as the Virgin with Child by Filippo Lippi all await in this ‘hidden’ treasure. Opificio Delle Pietre Dure - Today many visiting Florence, stand hours in line to visit ‘must see’ museums , while missing out on this little hidden jewel of Florence... no lines, yet an endless list of semi precious stone artworks. Here you can imagine the artist choosing the perfect stone to represent a bird’s feathers or the shading of a fruit ...and all seem so perfectly real. On the top floor, to get a better grip of this fascinating art, tools once used in the workshops and minerals are exposed. The true essence of the Florentine craftsmanship. 11 @owaaamatopeia WHAT TO SEE - Museums @silvycali @jeanpierre_marrocco The museum of the Opera del Duomo Thanks to the renovations, the Opera del Duomo museum today shows three levels of display and a terrace where you can admire up close the “cupola”, the dome of the Florence Cathedral. Even though the museum has been open since the 19th century, the institution it refers to is as old as the cathedral. The Opera del Duomo, which has no relation with Pavarotti and the lyrical opera, was born in 1296. With the beginning of the construction of the church, the Opera was the “magistratura” which superintended the works in progress. The first house of the Opera was in a building a few meters away from the present museum address. It can be spotted because the front is covered with coats of arms, symbols of the Republic of Florence and the major guild of the Florentine merchants: the Arte di Calimala, the guild of the wool merchants. As a very wealthy and powerful guild, Calimala paid for the work on the religious buildings, especially for the Baptistery of San Giovanni. The spaces of the actual museum became the workshop space of the Opera only in the 15th century when the architect Brunelleschi was working on his world wide known masterpiece: the Dome! Inside the museum you can find a room dedicated to the incredible construction of the “cupolone”. The wooden model for the building is preserved as a relic in the museum together with the original pulleys used by Brunelleschi to bring the construction materials up to the top of the Duomo, at a height of 90 meters! From the reopening of the museum, the star of the Opera can be found in the Hall of Paradise, it’s the full - size model of the original front of the cathedral by Arnolfo di Cambio. The façade of the Florentine Duomo has a rough beginning because the architect and sculptor who designed the entire project died before the sculpted decoration was completed. It was never finished and was left there until the Medici family had enough and decided to take away all the remaining statues. The works of art ended up in the Opera workshop and deposit. All the statues and artworks that were considered out of fashion were stuffed in the piazza del Duomo, n.9. They are now displayed in the museum on the impressive façade models. Arnolfo di Cambio’s statues are not the only originals visible in the Hall of Paradise. The fortuitous name of the room comes from the famed Gates of Paradise (also known as the Doors of Heavens) by Lorenzo Ghiberti. This main gate of the Baptistery has been restored in a state - of - the - art conservation and is preserved under a nitrogen glass box. At its side are also the two other doors of the Baptistery, the South Door by Andrea Pisano and the North Door. The originals statues and relieves from the Campanile di Giotto, the bell - tower of the Cathedral. Since the building was decorated with artworks by the first and most important artist of the Renaissance, like Donatello and Nanni di Banco, their figures of “Prophets” are now displayed in the Gallery of the Campanile together with the medieval decorations by @sarinaaaflo WHAT TO SEE - Museums Andrea Pisano. A few masterpieces of Renaissance masters in the Museum of the Opera are the “Cantorie” (Choir Galleries) by Donatello and Luca della Robbia, the strikingly modern figure of the “Mary Magdalene” by Donatello, and last but not least the moving “Pietà” by Michelangelo. Touring the Museum of the Opera you will learn about the history of the religious center of Florence and witness the artistic changes that led to what is today one of the most beautiful sights in Florence! Cathedral and Baptistry The Florentine cathedral, mainly known as the “Duomo” is a must for new visitors in town. It is an impressive element in the city’s skyline and one of Florence’s symbols. The Duomo was built over a century to celebrate the power of the city of Florence. Construction began in 1296 and was designed by the architect Arnolfo di Cambio. When it was nearly completed at the end of the 14th century it was the largest church in Europe. Today, it is the third largest church after the Saint Peter Basilica in the Vatican and Saint Paul’s in London. Even though everyone in Florence refers to the building as the “Duomo”, the church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary of the Flower, which is the flower lily symbol of Florence. Arnolfo di Cambio created a Gothic cathedral that was filled on the outside with incredibly rich marble decoration. The church is covered with marble inlays of three colors: white, gre en and pink. Although the sculpture decoration of the original front was striking, today it is only visible in the museum of the Opera del Duomo because the present façade was completed only between 1871 and 1884. In the 19th century, architect Emilio de Fabris, designed the new - pardon the expression “Neo” Gothic front by using a style that was inspired by the ancient part of the church and decoration of the Bell - tower (the Campanile di Giotto). Inside the Cathedral you can find the artworks of early Renaissance artists, like Donatello and Ghiberti, besides more extravagant paintings by Andrea del Castagno and Paolo Uccello. But, the treat of the visit is the decoration of the dome. The “cupola” by Brunelleschi was frescoed in the 16th century when Cosimo I de’ Medici commissioned Giorgio Vasari to the “Last Judgment”, which was completed by Federico Zuccari in 1579. The Battistero of San Giovanni , the Florentine baptistery is smaller in size but has a long history. It’s considered an 11th century building by some historians and it was definitely done by the time of Dante. The greatest of the Florentine poets was baptized inside. The exterior marble decoration is made with white marble slabs from Carrara and green ones from Prato( two Tuscan cities). The interior dome is covered with colorful mosaics that show Old testament stories and the Final Judgment with Christ on top of the altar surrounded by the saved souls in Heaven and the damned souls in Hell. The awful depiction of hell is featured in the novel by Dan Brown precisely entitled “Inferno”. The Baptistery is also famous for its three sets of doors, the South Door by Andrea Pisano, the North Door by Lorenzo Ghiberti and the famed Gates of Paradise known as Ghiberti’s masterpiece! Recently the last copy of the North Door was uncovered in front of Florentines and visitors. The originals gates are united in the new display of the Museum of the Opera del Duomo. @nikkiseyes @msquillantini D is c o v e r T h e m us e u m o f t h e O p e r a d e l Duomo/Cathedral and Baptistry WHAT TO SEE - Museums @beppe_a @durkfang Palazzo Vecchio The Palazzo Vecchio stands on the eastern side of Piazza della Signoria as the medieval city hall from the beginning of the 14th century. Its original name was Palace of the Priors (as “priori” or priors who were the members of the government councils). It earned its present definition of “VECCHIO” (OLD) in the 16th century not because it was an ancient medieval building but because it became the old residence of the Medici family when they moved to their new palace (Pitti Palace). The long history of Palazzo Vecchio started in 1299 - 1314 as the government palace (in the high Renaissance the palace of the Republic). The David by Michelangelo stood as its symbol at the side of the main entrance. In the 16th century the Medici family, specifically Alessandro, the Duke of Florence moved in and established themselves as lords of the city. For this reason, inside the Palazzo Vecchio, the tour of the museum leads visitors into the ducal and duchess apartments. Contrary, the medieval part of the battlements and the tower of Arnolfo can be visited if weather permits. From the tower you can have the third best view of Florence (the top two being the one from the dome of the Duomo and the other from the Bell - tower of Giotto). In Piazza della Signoria next to the Palazzo Vecchio the Loggia dei Lanzi stands displaying its impressive three arches. The lodge was build at the end of the 14th century for the public ceremonies of the government. Today it is decorated by original sculptures by Cellini, Giambologna, Pio Fedi and ancient roman statues The entire square is full of statues. Along with Michelangelo’s David is the Fountain of Neptune by Ammannati and the monument to the Granduke Cosimo I de Medici which proves the Medici’s love for art and their aim to cover the public spaces of Florence with beauty. Galileo Museum For the science buff in you that needs a break from the renaissance art scene, there is the Galileo Museum. Though there is a lot covering Galileo’s life , there is also a general theme of the development of science. Interactive tools also bring the museum alive and bring the evolution of science into perspective. Casa di Dante e Quartiere Medievale The main part of the historical Medieval center of Florence was destroyed in the 19th century during the renovations around the piazza della Repubblica. You can still have a taste of Medieval Florence in the neighborhood where Dante Alighieri lived. The Ho use Museum of Dante is a rare example of the old typical Medieval house, called “casa - torre” ( tower - house) for its defensive appearance. You can walk the street where the great poet Dante once strolled by, probably met the love of his life, Beatrice Portinari, and see the little church of Santa Margherita, which was the parish church of the Alighieri family. Interested in some Customized Tours to Enjoy Florence’s B - Sides? www.florencetown.com @kaytayhank @lovegoodyu WHAT TO SEE - Museums Inferno Tour Taking part in the “Inferno Tour” is an uncon - ventional way to experience several highlights of Florence, on the steps of the best seller “Inferno” by the American writer Dan Brown - later turned into movie, filmed in Florence in 2015. It’s an opportunity to enjoy a intriguing path of mind - blowing details, anecdotes, and clue - filled history that reveals all the most important sights and locations that professor Robert Langdon - the main character - visits in th e B r ownia n dar k ma s - terpiece. This half day walking tour introduces guests to Dante and his Divine Comedy, focuses on Botticelli’s painting en - titled Inferno and includes an in - depth description of th e connectio n i t ha s wit h D ant e an d th e hi s - tory of the Divine Comedy. The tour includes the visit to the Casa di Dante, from outside, the Baptistery, the Paradise Gates, and the Cathedral of Florence, where guests are en - lightened with knowledge of the symbols and codes as described in the book. The highlight experience is the visit to Palazzo Vecchio (described by Dan Brown as “a giant chess piece that has become an inimitable symbol of Florence), where faith and science join together with breathless revelations. This leads the wa y th r oug h th e beaut i - ful “Salone dei 500” and the Museum of Palazzo Vecchio, with its Hall of Geographical Maps, the balconies and Dante’s deat h M ask G ettin g a d - vantage of an afternoon extension, there’s also the chance to combine this experience to the visit of Uffizi Gallery and Vasari Corridor, highlight of the novel and exciting Robert Langdon’s escape from Grotta del Buontalenti (at Bob - oli Garden) to Palazzo Vecchio. D is c o v e r t h e s e c r e t s o f D a n B r o w n ’ s N o v e l www.infernoflorencetour.com The Uffizi Gallery The “Galleria degli Uffizi” is one of the most famous museums in the world, given the rich amount of unique artworks and masterpieces conserved within its walls, th e majorit y i s fr o m th e R enaissanc e p e - riod. Located in the heart of Florence, the Uffizi Gallery hosts works of art by great Italian artists such as Botticelli, Giotto, Cimabue, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raffaello. Its large collection has works from all centuries but a large part dates back to the periods between the 12 th and 17 th centuries. History of the Uffizi Gallery The huge building of the Uffizi was not created as a museum. It was ordered in 1560 by Cosimo I de’ Medici, first Grand D u k e o f T uscan y , t o hous e th e administr a - tive and judiciary offices of Florence, the “uffizi” (Uffizi is an ancient way of saying i n I talia n “ U ffi ci ” whic h coul d b e trans - late d wit h th e E nglis h wor d “ O ffi c - es”). At the time when the grandiose building was being built, the Medici hegemony was secure. Cosimo called upon his favorite artist, Giorgio Vasari, to design the u - shaped building we still admire today. The great architect also designed, in 1565, an incredible aerial passage way which took his name, the Vasari Corridor: a long corridor con - necting Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti. It was used by the Medici family to pass through the Uffizi over to the Ponte Vecchio. The secret passage wa s buil t t o celebrat e th e marriag e be - tween Cosimo’s son, Francesco I, and Joanna of Austria. To build the Uffizi and make space for the huge complex many constructions were demolished. Among them San Pier Scheraggio, an ancient and important Romanesque church. You can still see some remains of the old church on the ground floor, in the so called Via della Ninna, facing Palazzo Vecchio on your right side. The arches and columns of one of the aisles of the church are still visible from that street. When Giorgio Vasari passed away in 1574, the project was incomplete and two other architects, Bernardo Buon - talenti and Alfonso Parigi the Elder, completed the Uffizi around 1580. I n 158 1 F rancesc o I d e ’ M edici , C os i - m o ’ s so n an d ne w G ran d D u k e o f T u s - cany, set up a Gallery with statues and other precious objects on the last floor of the east wing of the Uffizi. The heart of the original museum is located in the octagonal shaped room called Tribuna, created by Buontalenti for Francesco I to host Francesco’s favorite works of art and jewels. The Tribune is con - sidered the most ancient and precious heart of the Uffizi, still maintaining its origina l shap e fr o m it s 158 4 constru c - tion. It represents the four elements and is fully decorated with marvelous marble, precious stones and shells. T h e concep t o f “ museu m ” wa s deve l - oped in 1769, when the Gallery was officially opened to public, by Grand Duke Peter Leopold in 1769, who was possibly the most enlightened and im - WHAT TO SEE - Museums portant member of the Austrian house of Lorraine, new regnant family of the Grand Duchy until the unification of Italy. Nowadays the Uffizi Gallery is undoubt - edly one of the most admired and visited museums all over the world. The Medici Way D i d yo u k no w tha t ther e i s a secr e t pa s - sageway that passes above Florence, from the Palazzo Vecchio, over the Ponte Vecchio and to the Boboli Gardens? If you look at the Ponte Vecchio from the outside you can see a row of windows all alon g th e top ; loo k a t wher e thos e win - dows continue on either side. That is the Vasari Corridor, the secret corridor of the Medici Family! This corridor, named “Vasari corridor” after the name of the Architect Giorgio Vasari - who did the Uffizi, too, btw - was built in 1565 to avoid the Medici Family from passing through the streets of Florence, as they move d fr o m thei r R oya l r esidenc e ( P al a - zzo Pitti) to the city council and their offices (The Uffizi). Around 1km long, it was ordered by the Grand Duke Cosimo de’ Medici as a gift to his son Francesco I de’ Medici and his wife to be, Giovanna of Austria, along with many other “presents” (such as the frescos of the hall of 500s in Palazzo Vecchio, the sculpture of the Neptune in Piazza Signoria, just to name a fe w ) T h e constructio n o f th e corrido r be - gan in 1565 and happily ended about only 5 months later. It was inaugurated for the Royal wedding on December 16, 1565. Since Cosimo would use the corridor, he thought he’d get it “fully equipped”, so he asked for: 1) A private balcony onto the chur c h o f Sant a F elicita , wher e th e M ed i - ci could likewise attend Mass without minglin g wit h th e minions ; 2 ) A r oya l mis - sive which kicked out all the butcher shops along the Ponte Vecchio (the Medici found them rather stinky) and called for goldsmiths , whic h wer e mor e appr opri - ate for the princely family to walk above (Till’ this day the Pontevecchio can only host goldsmiths shops). Strolling through the corridor is like taking a 500 year old walk. It is a long (1km) magic walk “above” Florence and gives a incredible overview of the cradle of the Renaissance, with its narrow windows overlooking the streets and from which the Medici “could look onto the people without being seen..”. Only the part right in the middle of the P ont e V ecchi o ha s bee n modi fi e d i n r e - cent times. Apparently in 1938, (right befor e th e WW I I bega n ) B enit o M ussol i - ni, who ruled Italy as a dictator, had the honor of hosting his good friend Adolf Hitler. To impress him, he showed him the beauty of Florence by taking a pleasant walk using the Vasari Corridor. The fron - tal part of the central hall of the corridor, just above the Ponte Vecchio, was “made up” on the occasion, and the three central small rounded windows were transformed in three almost floor - to - ceiling - ones in order to show Hitler a better sight of beautiful Florence. Hitler appreciated this gesture so much that when he was bombing Italy a couple of years later, he ordered for the destruction of every bridge in Florence (to avoid the Ameri - cans and the Partisans to cross the river and conquer the city center) except the Ponte Vecchio along with the magnificent ar chitectura l piec e o f th e V asar i C orri - dor. For this reason, the Ponte Vecchio with its incredible corridor was safe all the way through the worst war that humanity remembers. The corridor in its present state houses the most comprehensive self - portrait collection of the world with more than 700 paintin gs. They have been donated over the years by preeminent international artists such as the Architect Giorgio Vasari itself, some members of M edic i famil y an d a hug e numbe r o f art - ists such as Bernini, Velasquez, Rembrant, and many others. Throughout the path, paintings date to the ‘600,‘700, up to the ‘900 and then contemporary times. Among them, stands Anna Maria Luisa, the last descendant of the Medici Family, which can be considered one of the most important figures in Florentine history. Thanks to her Florence till this day keeps all of the treasures that used to belong to the family. They would potentially be lost forever if she had not given this gift to the city, Florentine people, and humanity. If yo u ar e a curiou s travele r willin g t o di s - cover more and moved by the love of art w e recommen d yo u d o no t mis s thi s spe - cial opportunity to walk along the corridor. Take the time to lean out of the windows and spy the minions, watch the city from a di ff er en t perspectiv e a s yo u cr os s i t with - out being seen, look at some of the most important artists of all times in the eye, and hear the steps of the Medici walking secretly along the corridor. Speaking of modern times, the Corridor was recently used in Dan Brown’s best - selling novel “Inferno” which was set in Florence. Prof. Langdon and – no doubt – super pretty Dr. Sienna Brooks saved their lives run - ning along the corridor as they crossed the whole city without being seen. Call it magic but, while you wait for the movie to air in September or October 2016, don’t miss the chance to take a walk yourself along the Corridor. Call it Magic... the movie Inferno has just been released, last October. The Vasari Corridor is currently under major recontruction, this will prob - ably take all 2017. The Vasari Corridor can be admired by tak in g a fascinatin g externa l guide d wal k - ing tour along the Corridor. WHAT TO SEE - Museums Galleria dell’ Accademia T he G alleria dell’Accademia was established in the XVIII centu r y as a teaching fa - cility for students of the neighboring Academy of Fine Arts. It was founded in 1784 by Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Lorraine. The Accademia is housed in the antic spaces of the H ospital of Saint M atthew and the C onvent of Saint N iccolo C afag - gio. The halls were used to display artworks as academic models for the students of the Academy of Fine Arts. Progressively, the Galleria dell’Accademia was enriched by paintings gathered from convents or monasteries which were suppressed by Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Lorraine at the end of the XVIII century and later on also by Napoleon in 1810. Ten years after the Gallery of Accademia was opened to the public, the museum changed various arrangements to showcase tapestries, paintings and sculptures, mainly when Michelangelo’s Prisoners were moved into the Accademia in 1909. Without a doubt, the Galleria dell’Accademia is most famous for its sculptures by the great Renaissance artist, Michelangelo. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are drawn to the museum each year to visit his greatest works such as the infamous statue of David, His Prisoners(or Slaves), and his St. Matthew just to name a few. T he original statue of M ichelangel o ’s D avid was transfer r ed f r om P iazza della S i - gnoria into the Galleria in 1873. The architect Emilio de Fabris projected a special tribute with a large skylight to shelter David, eventually completed in 1882. Other must see’s in the Accademia consist of the Rape of Sabines, Cassone Adimari, and Jacopo Di Cione: Incoronation of the Virgin. Among Michelangelo, there are many talented I talian artists such as painters Sand r o B otticelli, D omenico G hirlan - daio, Pontormo, Andrea del Sarto, Allessandro Allori and Orcagna. The Accademia is divided into distinct halls given that they all specialize in distinct areas. Beginning with the Hall of Colossus one can find the Rape of Sabines, in the Hall of Prisoners are unfinished statues of Michelangelo, The Tribune holds Michelangelo’s statue of David, Gipsoteca Bartolini known as the hall of models and is seen as a reproduc - tion of Bartolini’s art studio, Florentine Gothic which is dedicated to 13th and 14th century paintings. J o i n O u r D ai l y t o u r s a t t h e A c c a d em i a G a l l e r y! www.florencetown.com