Piazza della Signoria

Admission	6 euro
Hours	Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Sunday, 9:00 am – 7:00 pm, Thursday, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Phone	390552768465

The oddly shaped Piazza della Signoria is home to a palace, an open-air museum, cafes, and countless street vendors. As you walk along the L shaped “square”, keep in mind that it is considered the political center of Florence.

The Palazzo della Signoria, also referred to as the Palazzo Vecchio, was created by Arnolfo di Cambio, and houses the headquarters of the city’s government. In front of the great Palazzo, you can see an impressive replica of Michelangelo’s marble statue of David, along with a replica of Donatello’s lion Marzocco, symbolic of Florence. If you are facing the Palazzo Vecchio, the Loggia della Signoria, also known as the Loggia dell’Orcagna, or Loggia dei Lanzi, will be on your right. The three open arches of the Loggia della Signoria cover a number of statues, such as Benvenuto Cellini’s Perseus and Giambologna’s dramatically carved Rape of the Sabine Women. While the architecture of the structure is impressive, the statues that it encompasses are equally remarkable.

In the center of the Piazza, you will find yourself surrounded by friendly street vendors, who sell everything from tee shirts to disposable cameras to small imitation statues. Despite this modern addition, the center of the Piazza is not without its classic artistic merit. Giambologna’s elegant statue of Cosimo de Medici on horseback memorializes the once powerful family, while the Fountain of Neptune, by Bartolomeo Ammannati, pays its respects to Roman antiquity. Together, all of the statues and surrounding buildings distinguish Florence as a city of beauty and civil import.