Empoli, Commune in Tuscany, Italy
Empoli is a commune in the Metropolitan City of Florence, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of the Tuscan capital. The town spreads across a plain shaped by the Arno River, with low hills encircling the flat center where streets and squares unfold in a compact grid.
In Roman times a river port operated here along the Via Quinctia, linking Florence to Pisa across the Arno plain. During the 11th century the settlement gained a weekly market that still takes place every Thursday and shaped trade in the region.
The Collegiata di Sant'Andrea museum exhibits works from Francesco Botticini, Lorenzo di Bicci, and Luca della Robbia within its marble decorated walls.
The Thursday market in the center sells regional produce and goods and runs throughout the year. Visitors can walk through the old center easily, since main points of interest lie close together and streets remain short and level.
A variety of artichoke carries the name of the town and recalls centuries of farming in the surrounding plain. The Collegiata di Sant'Andrea holds paintings by Francesco Botticini, Lorenzo di Bicci, and ceramic work by Luca della Robbia behind marble-clad walls.
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