Florence district guide

 

 

 

 

 

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Florence district guide                                            (Back to Florence main information page)

Florence is famous amongst tourists and scholars for her glorious artwork, her cultural heritage, and the major role she played in the Renaissance and Humanist movements. All these facets combine to make this one of the most glorious cities in the world. Florence may be a small city, but she is extremely beautiful and a favourite meeting place for visitors and ex-pats of all ages and nationalities.

The historic city centre (centro storico) is most representative of Florence. The layout of the district follows a road system created by the Romans (known as the 'cardo' and 'decumano' system). In the centro storico, you will see the enormous, imposing structure of the Duomo, with its Brunelleschian cupola, a beautiful dome that adds splendour to the city skyline. The city has also preserved its medieval network of streets, lined with regular, geometric Renaissance palaces such as Palazzo Strozzi and Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, which once belonged to Florence's powerful, oligarchic families. Florence is divided into five districts and the centre is divided into four sections (San Giovanni, Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella and Santo Spirito Oltrarno). Here is a brief guide to the city and its districts:

San Giovanni takes its name from St John the Baptist, Patron of Florence, in whose honour the Baptistery was built. This area covers most of the historic city centre and is now full of exclusive boutiques that are concentrated in a few of the most well known streets, such as Via Calzaiuoli. The university and the Tribunale di Firenze (which is housed in the Complesso di San Filippo Neri) are also in this district.

San Giovanni takes its name from St John the Baptist, Patron of Florence, in whose honour the Baptistery was built. This area covers most of the historic city centre and is now full of exclusive boutiques that are concentrated in a few of the most well known streets, such as Via Calzaiuoli. The university and the Tribunale di Firenze (which is housed in the Complesso di San Filippo Neri) are also in this district.
 

Santa Maria Novella is named after the Santa Maria Novella church - a Dominican basilica and important cultural centre during the Middle Ages. The train station of the same name (designed in the 1930s by the young architect Michelucci) is also situated nearby. Not far from the station is the Basso Fortress, which is now used as an important centre for conferences, conventions and exhibitions. The zone is also home to the Parco delle Cascine, one of the city's green oases. In this area lies Via Tornabuoni, a street which is famous for being home to some of Italy's most prestigious designer boutiques e.g. Versace and the Florentine Ferragamo.

 

Santa Croce is named after Santa Croce church, a medieval Franciscan basilica. The National Central Library (built in the tenth century) is also located here.

Santo Spirito Oltrarno stretches from San Frediano to San Niccol?Oltrarno, but its heart is probably the Piazza Santo Spirito, which has retained much of its historic charm and is filled with artist's workshops. This piazza is the place for parties on summer evenings, bringing together young Florentines and foreigners, many of whom live in this area. The Pitti Palace with its old Medicean garden and the Boboli Garden, are both in Oltrarno. The famous Piazzale Michelangelo (with its incredible view) is also in this district. From here, it is possible to see one of the few remaining stretches of medieval wall around the Belvedere Fort that was spared from demolition in the nineteenth century.

Campo di Marte is home to many historical buildings dating back to the turn of the century, as well as to many modern stone and cement apartment blocks which were built from the fifties onwards. There are also numerous sports venues, several swimming pools and the Franchi Stadium. Fiesole, and the Bellariva zone are close by; these are swathes of Piagentina countryside that always induced feelings of nostalgia in Tuscan painters.

Gavinana is south of the Arno and leads to the well-known Chianti wine region. On the southwestern side lies Galluzo, famous for its Carthusian monastery.

Isolotto e Legnaia combines areas of the city that were developed during the sixties and seventies and are still expanding. The 'Isolotto' district was once the scene of various clashes and social unrest during the sixties.

Rifredi is in the northwestern part of the city and is a place of contrasts; home to many beautiful country villas as well as industrialized residential areas and host to many Chinese and African immigrants. The influx of immigrants means that even a city like Florence cannot live forever in the past but must create a new multi-ethnic history.
 

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