Palazzo Vecchio, Town hall in the historic centre, Florence, Italy
Palazzo Vecchio is a town hall in the central historic district of Florence, Italy, built with thick stone walls and a tall tower that dominates the square below. The building displays both Romanesque and Gothic influences, with crenellations running along the roofline and narrow windows set into the heavy masonry.
Work on the building started in 1299 under Arnolfo di Cambio, who incorporated remains from earlier structures once owned by the exiled Uberti family. Over the following centuries, the palace served as the seat of government for both the medieval Florentine republic and the later Medici rulers, with each period leaving its mark on the interior spaces.
The palace's name changed with its uses: Palazzo della Signoria, dei Priori, del Popolo, Ducale, then Vecchio after the Medici moved to Palazzo Pitti. The Salone dei Cinquecento, built in 1494 for Savonarola's 500-member Grand Council, was enlarged by Vasari for Cosimo I; its decorations, made between 1555 and 1572, include frescoes by Vasari and Livio Agresti.
Access to the building is through the main entrance on the square, where stairs lead to upper floors and the museum sections. Visitors planning to climb the tower should be ready for narrow spiral staircases and steep steps, though the view from the top extends across the entire city.
The tower incorporated sections from an older structure belonging to the Foraboschi family and later functioned as a prison for political captives. Among those held in its upper cells was Cosimo de Medici, who eventually returned to lead the city after his release.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,304 contributors worldwide.
