Piazzale des Offices

The plaza beside the Uffizi Gallery in Florence is a rectangular space surrounded by a loggia with 28 marble statues representing important people from Tuscan history. The statues were created between 1842 and 1845 and form a decorative facade running along the square.

Giorgio Vasari designed this plaza in 1560 as part of an administrative complex that housed Florence's magistrates near Palazzo Vecchio. The marble sculptures of Tuscans were added later in the 1800s to enhance the space historically and artistically.

The statue of Cosimo I de Medici at the center shows how the Medici family displayed their power in Florence. Around it stand allegorical figures representing political values like justice and fairness.

The plaza connects directly to the Uffizi Gallery entrance and offers views of the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio. It is easily reached on foot from the old city center.

Beneath the central arch stands a statue of Cosimo I de Medici from 1585, flanked by allegorical sculptures embodying Rigor and Equity. This specific arrangement differs from the other statues on the plaza through its iconographic complexity.

Location: Florence

Architects: Giorgio Vasari

GPS coordinates: 43.76850,11.25560

Latest update: December 11, 2025 18:06