Salone dei Cinquecento, Renaissance governmental hall in Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, Italy.
The Salone dei Cinquecento is a vast hall within Palazzo Vecchio with imposing dimensions and richly decorated interiors. The ceilings are filled with colorful paintings, while the walls showcase large-scale frescoes created by different artists over an extended period.
The hall was built in 1495 to house gatherings of Florence's large representative assembly. Over the centuries, it underwent several transformations and received its present artistic decoration from various Renaissance masters.
The hall takes its name from the 500-member council that once gathered here to govern Florence's republic. Walking through today, you can sense how this space was designed to showcase power and civic pride through its monumental proportions and decoration.
The hall is located in the heart of Palazzo Vecchio and is accessible to visitors touring the building. Plan enough time to view the ceiling and wall decorations at leisure, as the space is quite expansive.
Leonardo da Vinci began painting a battle scene on one of the walls in 1503, but the project was never completed and no traces remain visible today. This lost work remains one of the great mysteries of Florence's artistic past.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
