Piazza della Signoria, Medieval square in Florence, Italy
Piazza della Signoria is a square in Florence, Italy, that stretches roughly 221 meters and sits near the Arno River. On one side rises the Palazzo Vecchio with its tall tower, while on the other side stands the open Loggia dei Lanzi, which houses several sculptures.
The square emerged in the 14th century as the political center of Florence and served the republic as a gathering place. In 1498, the preacher Savonarola was executed here, an event still marked today by an inscription in the paving.
Under the Loggia dei Lanzi stand several bronze and marble sculptures that visitors can view freely without entering a museum. The open hall has served for centuries as a place where art and public life meet, and it draws people daily who rest in the shade of the arches.
The open space is accessible at any time and serves as a starting point for walks through the old town. Visitors find here several entrances to nearby museums and can walk among the sculptures without paying admission.
On the building of the Tribunale della Mercanzia, twenty-one coats of arms of the Florentine guilds are visible, recalling the power of merchants and craftsmen in the Middle Ages. These colored emblems display symbols such as wool, silk, or goldsmithing and give insight into the economic structure of the city.
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