Florence

Florence (Italian: Firenze) is the capital and most populous city of the Italian region of Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants as of 2025. It is also the capital of the eponymous metropolitan province, which counts 989,460 inhabitants.

Florence was a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of that era. It is considered by many academics to have been the birthplace of the Renaissance, becoming a major artistic, cultural, commercial, political, economic and financial center. During this time, Florence rose to a position of enormous influence in Italy, Europe, and beyond. Its turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865 to 1871 the city served as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.

Located about 275 kilometres (171 mi) northwest of Rome, Florence attracts millions of tourists each year, and UNESCO declared the Historic Centre of Florence a World Heritage Site in 1982. The city is noted for its culture, Renaissance art and architecture and monuments. The city also contains numerous museums and art galleries, such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Palazzo Pitti, and still exerts an influence in the fields of art, culture and politics. Florence plays an important role in Italian fashion, and is ranked in the top 15 fashion capitals of the world by Global Language Monitor.

Etymology

Florence started as a Roman military camp in 59 BC in a place where people had lived before. The Romans called it Florentia, which means "the Flourishing Town". The names we use today, Fiorenza in old Italian and Firenze in modern Italian, come from this ancient name. Over time, the sounds in these words changed in a special way that is typical of the Tuscan language.

History

Main article: History of Florence

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Florence.

Florence started as a city built by the Romans. Later, it grew into a very important place for trading and banking during the Middle Ages. From the 1300s to the 1500s, it became one of the most important cities in Europe.

The language spoken there in the 1300s helped shape what we now know as the Italian language, thanks to famous writers like Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio.

Florence was home to the powerful Medici family. They were big supporters of artists and helped make the city beautiful with many famous artworks. Two Medici family members even became popes.

In 1865, Florence became the capital of Italy for a short time before the capital moved to Rome.

Roman origins

Main article: Florentia (Roman city)

The Romans founded Florence in 59 BC as a place for retired soldiers. It was built like a soldier camp and became a busy trading spot.

Early Middle Ages

For many years, Florence faced tough times with battles and rule changes. The city’s population dropped to just 1,000 people but grew again when peace returned.

Second millennium

Around the year 1000, a leader named Margrave Hugo made Florence his home. This started a golden age for art in the city. Florence became a city-state and its river, the Arno, helped it grow with trade and industry.

Middle Ages and Renaissance

Main articles: Republic of Florence and Italian Renaissance

Rise of the Medici

Florence grew very large, with maybe 120,000 people living inside the city and 300,000 in the countryside. But a sickness called the Black Death in 1348 killed many people.

Lorenzo de’ Medici, known as “Lorenzo the Magnificent,” was a big supporter of artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. After he died in 1492, the Medici family lost power for a while.

Savonarola, Machiavelli, and the Medici popes

A religious leader named Girolamo Savonarola tried to change the city but was later arrested and removed from power. Another important writer from this time was Niccolò Machiavelli.

The Medici family returned to power in 1512 with help from Spain and the Pope. They brought more great art to the city. Later, Florence became a monarchy under the Medici family’s rule.

18th and 19th centuries

When the Medici family ended, a new ruler, Francis Stephen, took over. Florence was part of different countries, including France, before becoming part of Italy in 1861. It was Italy’s capital for a short time before Rome took over.

20th century

During World War II, Florence was occupied by German soldiers but was later freed by Allied troops. In 1966, a big flood damaged many artworks, but the city worked hard to fix them.

Geography

Florence is located in a bowl-shaped area surrounded by hills such as Careggi, Fiesole, Settignano, Arcetri, Poggio Imperiale, and Bellosguardo (Florence). Several rivers flow through the city, including the Arno river, along with smaller rivers like Mugnone, Ema, and Greve.

The city has a Mediterranean climate, meaning it has hot summers and cool, damp winters. Summers can feel very warm, often reaching temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F). Rain usually falls in the winter, while summer rain is more scattered. Thunderstorms are uncommon, happening only about ten days each year, mostly between May and October. Snow is very rare, and very cold temperatures are also unusual.

Demographics

In the year 1200, Florence was home to about 50,000 people. By 1300, the number grew to 120,000 in the city itself, with another 300,000 living nearby in the Contado. Between 1500 and 1650, the population was smaller, around 70,000 people.

As of 2025, Florence has 362,353 people living in the city. The larger area around Florence, including places like Prato and Pistoia, has about 1.5 million people. In Florence, about half the people are male and half are female. Many people in Florence are older compared to the rest of Italy. Between 2002 and 2007, Florence’s population grew a little, though not as much as the rest of Italy.

Most people in Florence are from Italy, but there are also people from other countries living there, such as from China, Romania, Albania, and Morocco. Many people in Florence practice the Roman Catholic faith.

Economy

Tourism is the biggest industry in Florence, bringing in lots of money for the city. Many people visit Florence to see its famous art and historic sites, and this helps support the local economy. In 2015, tourism was worth about €2.5 billion to the city.

Besides tourism, Florence is also known for making and selling goods like furniture, clothes, and food. The city has many factories and shops that create these products. Services like hosting events and showing art also help the city's economy. In 2015, the city’s manufacturing and exports were growing, especially in areas like fashion and food.

Government

See also: List of mayors of Florence

Florence is run by a group of elected people called the City Council, which has 36 members. They are chosen every five years. The mayor of Florence is Sara Funaro, and she leads a smaller group called the City Committee with 7 members.

The city is divided into five areas, called boroughs. Each borough has its own small council and a president, who are also elected at the same time as the mayor. These boroughs can give ideas to the mayor about many topics and have some powers to organize local activities. The five boroughs are:

• Q1 – Centro storico (Historic Centre); population: 67,170;
• Q2 – Campo di Marte; population: 88,588;
• Q3 – Gavinana-Galluzzo; population: 40,907;
• Q4 – Isolotto-Legnaia; population: 66,636;
• Q5 – Rifredi; population: 103,761.

All five boroughs are led by members of the Democratic Party.

Culture

Art

Main articles: Florentine painting, Florentine Renaissance art, and Italian Renaissance sculpture

See also: Guilds of Florence

Florence was the birthplace of High Renaissance art, which lasted from about 1500 to 1527. Renaissance art focused more on nature and human feelings. Before this, medieval art was often simple and symbolic, mostly about religion. Renaissance art became more realistic and was created by famous artists like Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Religion was still important, but people started to see religious figures more like real humans. The Renaissance was a time when people began to see themselves as individuals, and this showed in their art. Artists studied the world around them and tried to make their paintings and sculptures look real.

Cimabue and Giotto were important early painters in Florence. Other famous artists from Florence include Arnolfo di Cambio, Andrea Pisano, Filippo Brunelleschi, Donatello, Masaccio, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Sandro Botticelli, Paolo Uccello, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo. Their artworks can be found in many museums in the city, such as the Uffizi Gallery, the Bargello, and the Galleria dell'Accademia. There are also many beautiful buildings and churches in Florence, like the Baptistery and the Florence Cathedral.

Florentine architects like Filippo Brunelleschi and Leon Battista Alberti helped shape Renaissance architecture. The famous dome of the Florence Cathedral, designed by Brunelleschi, is one of the largest domes in the world. In front of the cathedral is the medieval Baptistery. Both buildings show the transition from medieval to Renaissance styles. Many important artworks from these buildings are now kept in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.

Florence has many churches filled with art, such as San Miniato al Monte, San Lorenzo, and Santa Maria Novella. Artists who worked in Florence include Arnolfo di Cambio, Cimabue, Giotto, Nanni di Banco, Paolo Uccello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Donatello, Masaccio, Fra Angelico, Sandro Botticelli, Piero della Francesca, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo.

Picture galleries in Florence include the Uffizi and the Palazzo Pitti. The Bargello and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo have wonderful collections of sculptures. The Galleria dell'Accademia is famous for Michelangelo's David, a very famous statue. Other places to visit include the medieval city hall, the Palazzo Vecchio, and many museums and churches.

Language

Main article: Florentine dialect

See also: Tuscan language

Florentine, spoken by people in Florence and nearby areas, is a dialect of the Tuscan language and is very close to modern Italian. Although it sounds almost the same as Italian, there are some small differences in words and how they are pronounced. Famous writers like Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio helped make Florentine important for literature.

Literature

Even though Latin was used by the Church and in courts during the Middle Ages, writers like Dante Alighieri used the Florentine language to write their famous works. The oldest pieces of Florentine literature date back to the 13th century. The 14th century was a golden age for Florentine literature, with Dante’s Divine Comedy, Petrarch’s poems, and Boccaccio’s Decameron. In the 16th century, Niccolò Machiavelli wrote The Prince, which shared his ideas about how leaders should rule.

Music

Main article: Music of Florence

See also: Music of Tuscany

Florence became an important place for music during the Middle Ages, and music is still a big part of the city's culture today. In the 16th century, Florentine musicians created the first operas. They combined stories from Greek myths with music, which led to the development of opera. Later, this also helped create other types of music like the symphony. Florence was also where the piano was invented in 1709 by Bartolomeo Cristofori.

Cinema

Florence has been a setting for many movies and books, such as Light in the Piazza, A Room with a View, and Tea with Mussolini. Famous Italian actors like Roberto Benigni come from Florence.

Video games

Florence has appeared in video games like Assassin's Creed II. The Republic of Florence is also a playable nation in the game Europa Universalis IV.

Other media

The 16th-century Florence is the setting of the Japanese manga and anime series Arte.

Cuisine

Florentine food comes from simple, traditional recipes. Many dishes are based on meat, and whole animals were traditionally used. Popular foods include crostini toscani (bread with chicken liver spread), ribollita (a soup made from bread and vegetables), and bistecca alla fiorentina (a big T-bone steak cooked over charcoal). Desserts like schiacciata alla fiorentina (a soft flatbread cake) are also enjoyed, especially during Carnival.

Research activity

Research institutes and university departments are located in Florence, with campuses in Polo di Novoli and Polo Scientifico di Sesto Fiorentino, as well as in the Research Area of Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.

Science and discovery

Florence has been an important place for science for many years, especially during the Renaissance. Scientists like Leonardo da Vinci worked there. Florentine bankers helped support explorers who found new routes to India and the Far East. A map made by the Florentine Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli was used by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage.

Fashion

Main article: Italian fashion

See also: Fashion designers of Florence and Polimoda

By the year 1300, Florence was a major center for making clothes in Europe. Today, Florence is known as a home of famous fashion brands like Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, and Emilio Pucci. The city’s main fancy shopping street is Via de' Tornabuoni, where you can find stores from big fashion houses like Armani and Bulgari.

Historical evocations

Scoppio del Carro

The Scoppio del Carro ("Explosion of the Cart") is a celebration of the First Crusade. On Easter day, a cart called the Brindellone is taken to the Piazza del Duomo between the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist and the Florence Cathedral. The cart is connected to the church by a rope. After the Easter mass, a dove model comes out and lights fireworks on the cart.

Calcio Storico

See also: Calcio Fiorentino

Calcio Storico Fiorentino ("Historic Florentine Football") is a traditional sport that started in the Middle Ages. It is like a mix of soccer and rugby. The most famous match was played on 17 February 1530, during the siege of Florence, when the Florentines decided to play even though their city was under attack. The game is played in the Piazza di Santa Croce, where a temporary arena is built. Matches are held between four teams representing each quarter of Florence during late June and early July. The teams are Azzurri (light blue), Bianchi (white), Rossi (red), and Verdi (green).

Main sights

Main article: Architecture of Florence

Florence is famous as the "Cradle of the Renaissance" for its many important buildings and artworks. One of its most famous landmarks is the domed cathedral called Santa Maria del Fiore, or The Duomo, with its large dome built by Filippo Brunelleschi. Nearby, you can find the Campanile and the Baptistery. In 1982, the old center of Florence was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The city is surrounded by medieval walls built in the 1300s for protection.

The city’s layout still shows traces of its Roman past. Many buildings date from the Renaissance, but you can also see older styles like medieval and newer styles like Neoclassical and modern. Two of the most important buildings are the Palazzo Vecchio and the Duomo.

The river Arno runs through the old part of town and has been important in the city’s history. One famous bridge is the Ponte Vecchio, which still has shops built on it. The bridge survived World War II and is one of the oldest in the city.

The church of San Lorenzo holds the Medici Chapels, where the powerful Medici family was buried.

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the world’s greatest art museums, filled with masterpieces from the Medici family’s collections. It is next to Piazza della Signoria, where important events in art and history took place.

Further information: Villa Pitiana

Monuments, museums and religious buildings

See also: List of churches in Florence and Theatres in Florence

Florence has many beautiful buildings from different times. The Palazzo Vecchio is the city’s town hall and also a museum. It looks over Piazza della Signoria, where you can see a copy of Michelangelo’s famous statue David. The building has had many names over the years.

The Palazzo Medici, built for the Medici family, is another important building. Today it is used for offices and museums. Other notable buildings include the Palazzo Strozzi, used for art shows, and the Palazzo Davanzati, which shows what a typical old Florentine home looked like.

Florence is full of museums and galleries. The Uffizi has many famous paintings. The Galleria dell'Accademia holds the original statue of David by Michelangelo. The Bargello museum shows beautiful sculptures.

The city has many churches. The biggest is Santa Maria del Fiore. The San Giovanni Baptistery next to it has lovely decorations. Other important churches include the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, the Basilica of Santa Croce where many famous people are buried, and the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the burial place of the Medici family.

Florence also has several theaters and cinemas, including the Odeon Cinema and the Teatro della Pergola.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Florence Cathedral, officially called the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, began construction in 1296. It was finished by 1436, and its dome was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi.

Squares, streets and parks

See also: Squares of Florence

Florence has many famous squares and streets. Piazza della Repubblica is a central square with cafes where artists and writers often meet. Piazza Santa Croce is home to a big church and a special football game played each year. Piazza Santa Trinita is near the river Arno.

Other squares include Piazza San Marco, Piazza Santa Maria Novella, Piazza Beccaria, and Piazza della Libertà. Popular streets in the center include Via Camillo Cavour, Via Ghibellina, Via dei Calzaiuoli, and Via de' Tornabuoni.

Florence also has beautiful parks like the Boboli Gardens, the Parco delle Cascine, the Giardino Bardini, and the Giardino dei Semplici.

Sport

Florence has a strong sports tradition. The city is home to ACF Fiorentina, a famous football (soccer) team that plays in Italy's top league. They have won many important prizes over the years and play their home games at Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Florence is also a key place for Italy's national football team, with a main training center located in the city. The city has hosted big cycling events and has teams in other sports like rugby and water polo, which have also achieved great success.

Transportation

The center of Florence has rules to limit traffic. Buses, taxis, and residents with special permits can enter, but other cars are not allowed during the day. After 7:30 pm or before 7:30 am, cars without permits may enter.

The city has buses, trams, and trains for public transport. Tickets need to be validated before boarding. The main bus company changed to Autolinee Toscane in November 2021.

Florence has a tram system that started in 2010. The first line connects the main train station to a nearby area. A second line links the airport to the city center, and a third line to hospitals is being built.

The city’s main airport is Florence Airport, and the main train station is Firenze Santa Maria Novella. This station sees many visitors each year and offers fast trains to cities like Rome. Train tickets should be checked before travel. There are also other smaller stations in the city. A new high-speed train station is under construction and expected to finish by 2028.

Education

Florence has many schools and universities. The University of Florence was started in 1321 and has had many students over the years. Today, more than 50,000 students study there. Many American universities, like New York University and Harvard, also have programs in Florence where students can learn about art and history.

There is also a special school called Centro Machiavelli that helps people from other countries learn the Italian language and about Italian culture. It is located in a beautiful square in Florence called Piazza Santo Spirito.

Notable residents

See also: Category:People from Florence

Florence has been home to many famous people throughout history. Some well-known names include Dante Alighieri, a great poet, and Michelangelo, a famous artist who painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Other notable residents are Leonardo da Vinci, a talented artist and scientist, and Galileo Galilei, an important astronomer and physicist. The city has also seen famous writers like Giovanni Boccaccio and Niccolò Machiavelli, as well as artists such as Sandro Botticelli and Raphael.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Florence has special friendships with many cities around the world. Some of these friends include:

• Bethlehem, Palestine
• Budapest, Hungary
• Dresden, Germany
• Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
• Fez, Morocco
• Isfahan, Iran
• Kassel, Germany
• Kyiv, Ukraine
• Kuwait City, Kuwait
• Kyoto, Japan
• Nanjing, China
• Nazareth, Israel
• Philadelphia, United States
• Puebla, Mexico
• Reims, France
• Riga, Latvia
• Salvador, Brazil
• Sydney, Australia
• Tirana, Albania
• Turku, Finland
• Valladolid, Spain

Florence also has friendly relations with other places such as:

• Arequipa, Peru
• Cannes, France
• Gifu, Japan
• Jeonju, South Korea
• Kraków, Poland
• Malmö Municipality, Sweden
• Ningbo, China
• Porto-Vecchio, France
• Providence, Rhode Island, United States
• Tallinn, Estonia