Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco was built in the first half of the 15th century when Cosimo the Elder commissioned Michelozzo to build a church and a monastery for Dominican monks from the convent of San Domenico in Fiesole. The square was the site of dramatic clashes between the followers of Ferraran monks and their opponents.

At the entrance of Via Battisti is a palace that houses the central offices of the Rector of the University of Florence. The opposite corner houses the Academy of Fine Arts. In the center of the square lies the statue of General Manfredo Fanti, a famous Italian general during the era of Italian unification. On another corner of the square lies the Monastery of St. Catherine. Another notable landmark on the piazza is the Farmacia di San Marco near via Cavour, once run by the Dominicans, who were considered expert in medicinal preparations. The former insignia of the preparations for sale is still visible on the wall of the pharmacy.

Today the piazza is a transportation hub and meeting point for university students from the University of Florence and the art academy. Numerous cafes line the streets of the piazza, including the Gran Caffè San Marco, a famous literary meeting place for philosophers, artists, painters, professors and students.