Piazzas

Piazza Santa Maria Novella was originally intended in the thirteenth century to hold the overflow of worshippers to the Santa Maria Novella church. Beginning in the late fourteenth century it was also used to hold the Palio dei Cocchi chariot races hosted by Cosimo I. The two obelisks were added in 1608 to serve as turning posts in the race. Across the piazza from the church is the fifteenth century Loggia di San Paolo, from which the grand duke viewed the race. Today it houses the Alinari National Museum of Photography (Museo Nazionale Alinari della Fotografia).

In the nineteenth century, several important foreign literary and political figures chose this piazza as their headquarters in Florence. A plaque to the American poet Longfellow appears on the wall of the Hotel Minerva while the writer Henry James wrote his novel Roderick James in a house on the corner of the Via della Scala. On the Via delle Belle Donne is the balcony from which Garibaldi made his famous declaration "Roma o morte!"

Authentic gelato is to be had at L'Angolo del Gelato, on the corner of the Via della Scala, where the specialties of the house include a very rare crema di arachidi, or peanut butter gelato.

There are many more hotels in the area, along with the newly renovated Hotel L'Orologio, which is right on the piazza.

Piazza Santa Trìnita is named after the church of Santa Trinitàa on the northwest side of the somewhat triangular square. At the center of the piazza stands the "Column of Justice", a massive granite column from the east section of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. It was the gift of Pope Pius IV in 1560 for Cosimo I, the first Grand Duke of Florence. In 1581 the Justice statue by Tadda was added to the top of the column, and the bronze cloak was added even later.

Once an isolated area outside of the city walls, the piazza became part of the city center in 1175 after the founding of the church and convent of Vallombrosa.

The piazza is known for having three sides, but four architectural styles. During the late 14th century noble families began building mansions on the square, and it remains one of the finest examples of living architectural history in all of Florence. Three particularly famous mansions exemplify patrician architectural styles over the centuries. The 14th century Palazzo Spini is now home of the Ferragamo store and museum and a fine example of medieval architecture in Florence (although heavily restored). The 15th century Palazzo Buondelmonti is an typical late medieval/early Florentine Renaissance palazzo with a loggia on the top floor and a façade by Baccio d'Agnolo, while Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni is a pure late Renaissance example, also by d'Agnolo. Now considered a masterpiece, at the time it was called the "Roman" style and not popular with contemporary Florentines who felt the classical shapes and square windows were out of place. The church of Santa Trinitàa itself has a Mannerist façade added in the very late 16th century by Buontalenti.

The square today marks the beginning of the famous via Tournabuoni, the most luxurious and chic shopping street in Florence.

Piazza dei Ciompi, named for the "Ciompi" or wool carders of Florence (and their eponymous revolt in 1378), occupies a working class corner of Florence north of Piazza Santa Croce and close to Piazza Sant'Ambrogio. This area was particularly hard hit in the flood of 1966 - look for plaques well up the walls of the palazzos around the square to see how high the water was.

A graceful 16th century construction, the Loggia del Pesce by Giorgio Vasari, now stands at the north end of the Piazza. The loggia was formerly located in Piazza della Repubblica and was moved here when the old market was razed during the reunification period. Next to the loggia on the NE corner is a flower vendor.

The square is also home to the "mercantino" or flea market - small sheds selling antiques, art, old books, and various oddities. The market is perpetually scheduled to be moved to a new location... On the last Sunday of each month there is a larger flea market with many more vendors displaying their goods on tables in the streets surrounding the square.

Across the street on the south side of the piazza is a small park and children's playground maintained by local pensioners. There is a public restroom available here when the gate is unlocked.

To enjoy the square and a drink, sit outside at Plaz on via Pietrapiana 36r, just across from the loggia.

For the past 1600 years, Piazza del Duomo has been the one of the centers of Florence's religious life. It is made up of Piazza del Duomo and Piazza San Giovanni. It is one of the most visited place in the Europe and the world. Around the piazza lies the Duomo of Firenze, Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto's Campanile, the Florence Baptistery, the Loggia del Bigallo, the Opera del Duomo Museum, and the Arcivescovile and Canonici's palace. The west zone of this square is called San Giovanni square.

The square is saturated with visitors day and night snapping photos and admiring the beauty of the church. The front steps of the church become a meeting point for young people in the evening; this piazza never sleeps! In January 2010, the city of Florence forbid traffic in the piazza, making it strictly a pedestrian zone. This has led to a significant improvement in mobility and the piazza has become more lively than ever.