The ancient palace, called the Palazzo Vecchio, was presented to the inhabitants of Florence by one of the most prolific Italian architects of the 13th century Arnolfo di Cambio. Palazzo Vecchio is the main decoration of Signoria Square. The building is in the form of a medieval Romanesque fort. Particular emphasis is given to the clock tower towering above the main building. The monumental palace of the Palazzo Vecchio is not just one of the sights of Florence, but an important symbol of the city, its political life.
Palace name evolution
An interesting fact, since its inception, the town hall has changed several names.
At the end of the 13th century, the complex was called the New Palace (Palagio Novo), as it was a new building for the Florentine administration. In the 15th century, the venerable men who were sitting in the town hall appropriated the rank of seniors, thereby renaming the palace of the Signoria case in the Palazzo. By the way, from Italian Signoria (signoria) is translated as "power", which fully reflects the purpose of the town hall. In the middle of the 16th century, the Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I, settled in the walls of the palace. From this moment on, the name of the Palace of the Duke (Palazzo Ducale) was assigned to the town hall. In 1565, the Grand Duke chose another residence for himself, and the long-suffering building found its modern name - the Palazzo Vecchio or the Old Palace.
Today, the halls of the town hall are filled with museum exhibits and are open to visitors. However, the city of Florence is still based in the Palazzo Vecchio, continuing the old tradition of its predecessors.
Story
The appearance of the Palazzo Vecchio palace was preceded by turbulent processes in the political life of the country and city. Leading circles of the Florentine commune at the end of the 13th century decided to get a new residence. With these goals, construction work began on the territory previously owned by the powerful Uberti family. To begin with, the workers dismantled the ruins of the family castle of the defeated aristocrats. And in 1299 they set to work on a new building under the guidance of eminent artist and architect Arnolfo di Cambio.
The famous master by this time had already gained wide fame as the creator of such masterpieces as the church of Santa Croce and the Florentine Cathedral. Arnolfo saw his new project as a powerful and reliable structure. It was possible to somewhat soften the stern silhouette of the fortress with the help of elements of external decor and a slender clock tower. Thus, the palace of the Palazzo Vecchio symbolizes strength and unwaveringness, organically combined with external beauty.
In the middle of the 15th century, the Old Palace became a place for very dramatic events. A conspiracy was uncovered, the purpose of which was to overthrow the Medici family from the leading post of the Florentine Republic. The leader of the conspiracy, Francesco Pazzi paid for his deeds with his life. As a warning, the conspirator was hanged in the central window of the town hall. After just one year, in 1479 the same fate befell Bernardo di Bondino, who became the executioner Giuliano Medici.
Exterior decoration of the Old Palace
If you look at the palace from above, then schematically it will look like a rectangle. Here the architect did not resort to unnecessary frills. The exterior of the building looks very concise. The town hall is divided into three horizontal tiers. The lower tier, as befits a fortification, is devoid of any intricate decorations. But in the second tier you can admire the beautiful windows. According to the canons of Gothic, they have arches in the form of a trefoil, which were subsequently decorated by the master Michelozzo.
Crowned with the building of the town hall is a notched crown, well known to fans of films about knights and princesses. From below, a stone edging is attached to the building with small arches. In them, the artists depicted the arms of the nine guilds that stood at the head of the Florentine Republic. By the way, the vaults have not only decorative, but also functional purpose. Through them, the owners of the tower could pour hot resin or throw stones on the heads of the besiegers.
The decor adorning the portal of the main entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio attracts your attention. It was mounted on the wall in 1528. Two maned lions on a background of deep blue guard a marble tablet.
The inscription in Latin "Rex Regum et Dominus Dominantium" means - "King of kings, ruler of lords." What is a monogram of Jesus Christ, the son of God.
Near the main entrance to the town hall, called the Lion's Gate, as well as on the corner of the building are beautiful examples of Italian architecture. A copy of the famous Michelangelo David flaunts right at the entrance. The company was composed of Hercules fighting Kakusa, who left the workshop of Baccio Bandinelli.
Arnolfo Tower
Separately, it is worth talking about the construction of the tower, which is part of the architectural ensemble of the palace. 
This building was erected on the foundation of an older building - La Vacca tower. High stone walls are crowned with an openwork peak with internal niches. The building, rising above Signoria Square by 94 meters, was named the Arnolfo Tower, in honor of its creator. In the middle of the 17th century, a clock created by the master Giorgio Lederle was mounted in the facade of the tower. Since then, the chronometer promptly tells time to visitors to the square.
In modern days, the Arnolfo tower adorns the Palazzo Vecchio, and in medieval times it was used as a prison. Cosimo Medici and Girolamon Savonarola were imprisoned in cells for the 15th century. The first belonged to the powerful Medici family that ruled Florence. The propensity for intrigue and overly active participation in the political life of Italy bore its lamentable results. Savonarola, a Catholic priest who gathered a flock of thousands under the Duomo dome, was persecuted for his overly strict views.
Interior decoration
The beauty of the interior of the Old Palace contrasts sharply with the external modesty of a ruststone. Three tiers of construction are divided into many halls dedicated to a particular topic. However, we begin our acquaintance with the Palazzo Vecchio in order.
First patio
The lion's gates, guarded by statues of David and Hercules, open the entrance to the courtyard of the Old Palace, also called the First. Having hardly stepped on the stone slabs of the courtyard, the traveler freezes for a second, trying to absorb all his beauty. Carved columns, a high vault of painted ceiling are elegant and filled with the smallest details.
In the center of the First courtyard there is a small fountain, which is gurgling with water, surrounded by dwarf orange trees. The fountain is decorated with a small copy of the Amur statue with a dolphin, architect Andrea del Verrocchio (Andrea del Verrocchio). The original sculpture is exhibited in the halls on the second floor. In the middle of the 15th century, the master Michelozzo worked on creating an impressive interior of the town hall. The appearance of the place, filled with grandeur and romance, was timed to coincide with the wedding of the Florentine ruler Francesco Medici with John of Austria.
On the walls of the courtyard, the artist Giorgio Vasari painstakingly painted the views of ancient cities belonging to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The familiar outlines of Graz, Vienna, Linz and Prague were supposed to quench the longing of the young wife of the Italian nobleman for his distant homeland.
Five Hundred Hall
Passing a lovely courtyard, visitors find themselves in a hall that impresses with its size and beauty. The Pyatista Hall (Italian Salone dei Cinquecento) occupies a significant part of the first tier of the Palazzo Vecchio. The room has impressive parameters: 52 by 23 meters. At the sunset of the 15th century, Simone del Paloyolo worked on its creation. In this room, according to the plan of Girolamon Savonarola, the Great Council was to sit. After the fall of the Medici family, the fate of the Florentine Republic was determined by 500 council members. Savonarola, however, closely engaged in the affairs of the Catholic Church, fought for the purity and righteousness of its ministers.
During the reign of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo I, the master Vasari decorated the walls of the hall with frescoes, picturesquely depicting battle scenes. During the conversion of the hall to the Duke's panel of judges, the frescoes of the great Italians Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were deliberately destroyed. However, the most significant masterpiece of Michelangelo - the sculptural ensemble Genius, trampling brute force (1533-1534), has successfully survived to this day.
Along the walls of the Hall, in special niches, sculptures of Popes are exhibited, who ruled the church in collaboration with the Medici clan. The great sculptor Baccio Bandinelli was engaged in their creation. If you look up, a new wave of admiration will engulf the visitor. The high ceiling of the Hall is decorated with paintings glorifying the Grand Duke and his army. In the center of the ceiling flaunts a panel depicting the triumph of Cosimo I as Duke of Florence and Tuscany.
A small secret room located behind the huge Pyatista Hall served as the office of Francesco Medici. The son of Cosimo I had very diverse interests, he used the office as a studio, laboratory, and even a kind of storehouse for valuable items. The sculptor and artist Giorgio Vasari also worked on the creation and decoration of the cabinet. The walls and sloping ceiling of the studio are completely covered with paintings. Together with bronze figurines, such an interior is recognized as a classic example of mannerism.
Lily Hall
The second tier of the Palazzo Vecchio is divided into several picturesque halls. The most magnificent of them is the Lily Hall (Italian Sala dei Gigli). The portal leading to this amazing place is made of snow-white marble. The walls of the room are filled with a huge fresco by Domenico Girlindo. The master spent a significant part of 1482, writing on the walls of the premises of the first Florentine bishop - St. Zinovius, surrounded by saints Stephen and Lawrence. Also on the walls you can admire the image of the pillars of the Roman Empire: Cicero, Scipio, Brutus.
However, the greatest impression on an unprepared visitor is made by the ceiling decor. The ceiling surface is covered with golden stucco molding in the shape of honeycombs. The bottom of each honeycomb has a deep blue hue, against which lilies burn with gold - a symbol of the influential French family of Anjou. In the course of the feud between the religious-minded Guelphs with the Ghiblins, Count Anjou and his descendants supported the papal authorities. The Florentines decided to perpetuate the fateful contribution of their associates, in such an unusual way.
Another pearl of the Lily Hall is the sculpture of Judith and Holofernes by Donatello. A copy of this sculpture can be seen in Signoria Square, outside the Old Palace.
Other attractions of the Old Palace
Also noteworthy is the Elemental Hall, which depicts the four forces that give birth to life on Earth: fire, water, wind and earth. Moreover, the elements were performed in the form of allegories, for example, Venus became water, emerging from sea foam.
The Card Hall, on the second floor of the palace, contains 53 cards drawn by the monk Ignato Danti. From them it is not difficult to determine the breadth of geographical knowledge of the Florentines in the 16th century. In the center of the hall in 1581 a huge globe was installed. This model of the globe was the largest in Italy at that time.
Absorbing the beautiful, the traveler may be somewhat fed up with frescoes, sculptures, paintings and other works of art. To take a short break, just climb the upper tier of the Palazzo Vecchio. There is the terrace of Saturn, which offers a wonderful view of the city. The viewing height from this lodget is inferior to the bell tower of Giotto and the dome of Brunneleschi. Nevertheless, it will be possible to see Florentine roofs, hills and famous places of interest without problems.
How to get and working hours
The Old Palace is located in Piazza della Signoria. This attraction is located in the center of Florence, so getting to it by public transport is not a problem.
Find a hotel in the center of FlorenceWorking hours
On Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you can get inside the Palazzo Vecchio from 9:00 to 19:00. On Thursday, the palace receives visitors from 9:00 to 14:00.
Ticket price
Visiting the halls of the Museum of the Old Palace will cost a tourist 14 euros. You can also look into the clock tower of the Arnolfo Town Hall for an additional 10 euros. The combined ticket "Museum + Tower" - 14 euros. There is also a "student" discount for groups of visitors 18-25 and over 65 years old, subject to the availability of relevant documents.
Official website of the Palazzo Vecchio Museum: www.musefirenze.it
Contact phone: +39 055 276 83 25
It remains only to add that Signoria Square and the evils of the Old Palace are a very multifaceted attraction. Do not forget to charge the batteries of your camera and get ready for an incredibly deep impression of the luxury of medieval art. We wish you a great mood. But leave some strength for the other beauties of Florence!
