Italian Tourist Web Guide © 1996/97 by Inox
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Founded by the Romans in the first century B.C., Florence began its rebirth after the decadence of the barbaric ages, in the Carolingian period, and reached the highest pinnacles of civilization between the 11th and 15th centuries, as a free city, basking in a happy stability amid Imperial and Papal authorities, overcoming the unfortunate internal dispute between Guelfs and Ghibellines. In the 15th century, it came under the rule of the Medici family, who later became the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. This is infact was the period when the city was at the height of its glory in art and culture, in politics and economic power. The Grand Duchy of the Medicis was succeeded in the 18th century by that of the House of Lorraine, when in 1860 Tuscany became part of the Kingdom of Italy of which Florence was the capital from 1865 to 1871. In this century, this city has once more taken up its role as an important centre for culture and the arts.
Florence has retained an extraordinary wealth of art treasures, a glorious witness to its centuries of civilization. Cimabue and Giotto, forefathers of Italian painting, lived here; Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, renovators of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio, innovators of the Renaissance; Ghiberti and the Della Robbia; Filippo Lippi and Fra Angelico; Botticelli and Paolo Uccello and universal men like Leonardo and Michelangelo. Their work as well as that of many other generations of artists up to the present time, are collected in the many museums of the city: the Uffizi, the most select picture gallery in the World; the Galleria Palatina, with its « golden age » paintings: the Bargello, with its Renaissance sculptures; the Academy, the Medici Chapel and the Buonarroti House, with Michaelangelo's sculptures; the Bardi, Horne, Stibbert, Romano Museums, the Modern Art Gallery, the Museum of the Duomo, the Silver Museum and the Pietre Dure Museum (the museum of semiprecious stones). Famous monuments indicate the various stages of Florentine art: the Baptistry with its mosaics; the Duomo with its sculptures; medieval churches with their frescoes; public and private palaces - the Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Palazzo Davanzati; monasteries and cloisters; convents and "cenacoli"; the Certosa.
The Etruscan civilization is well represented in the Archaeological Museum . In Florence - the city of Dante - the Italian language was born. With Petrach and Boccaccio the study of literature found its main centre here. Humanism brought new philosophical ideas and a full appreciation of classicism. Machiavelli inaugurated the new political science: Guicciardini intruduced modern historical prose: Galileo and his school created and developed experimental science. As far back as Charlemagne, Florence has had a University, which today includes numerous faculties and a wide range of Institutes with a specialized Centre for foreigners- Academies and arts schools, scientific institutes such as the "Osservatorio Astrofisico", at Arcetri, the Institute of Research in Electromagnetic Waves, the Centre for Nuclear Medicine, all contribute to the intense activity of the Clty in this particular field, so too the foreign universities and the various centres of History of Art and popular culture.
In this city which gave birth to Benvenuto Cellini, silver and gold wares, jewels and filigree, and the typical mosaics in semiprecious stones are very much sought after. Of particular interest are the antiques objects of every kind which abound in Florence. As far back as the 13th century, travellers praised the pleasantness and comfort of Florentine hospitality, which today is taken care of by an imposing accommodation structure, including about 400 hotels and guest houses of various categories, with more than 18,000 beds, as well as special facilities, such as camping sites, youth hostels, etc. Dozens of restaurants and typical "trattorie", in the town centre and the surrounding hills, offer the pleasures of a gastronomy which is based on simple and healthy fare: tasty soups, roast and grilled meat (the famous « bistecca and grilled chicken »), boiled meat, cheese, an abundance of vegtables and fresh fruit, salamis and cold meats; and typical vegetatble dishes. This cuisine is accompanied by Tuscan wines, deservedly famous, produced in the Chianti and surrounding areas; the red wine which is full-bodied and full-flavoured; the white wine which is lighter; sweet wines and the « vin santo ».
Complete and numerous facilities are available for sport enthusiasts. In addition to the stadiums for football and the race courses, there is the « velodrome » for cycle races; the city offers tennis courts and swimming pools, an 18-hole golf course at Ugolino, shooting ranges, places for timbrel, and bowling; places for canoeing water-polo; riding schools and clubs; an Aero Club; skating rinks, etc. There are modern sports compounds at Coverciano, Bellariva, Cascine and at Campo di Marte.
