Florence - The Renaissance City That Beats Everyone

Aug. 12, 2010 - PRLog -- It is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with 367 ,569 inhabitants. The city lies on the River Arno and is known for its history and its importance in the middle ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture.

The historic centre of Florence is an area in the city attracts millions of tourist every year. It has been declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. It is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world with its artistic, historic and cultural heritage and the fact that it still has an impact in the world. It also has a major European impact in music, architecture, education, cuisine, fashion, philosophy, science and religion. The historic centre of Florence contains numerous elegant squares, Renaissance palaces academies, parks, gardens, churches, monasteries, museums, art galleries and ateliers.

In the city there is a wide range of art collections especially in the Pitti Palace and the Uffizi. This is the reason why Florence is seen as the last preserved Renaissance city in the world and undoubtedly known as the art capital of Italy.  Florence is also the birthplace or chosen home of many great historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Florence Nightingale and Galileo Galilei. So you can rest assured that their villas in Italy are of high standards.

It is the place where Michelangelo’s David stands. David is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture that was created at the beginning of the 16th century, by the renowned Italian artist  Michelangelo.  This is a 5.17 metre marble statue of a standing male who represents the biblical hero David which is a popular topic in the art of Florence. It was originally meant to be standing at the front of Florence Cathedral as part of a series of statues but was placed in a public square, outside the Palazzo della Signoria. It became the symbol of the defence of civil liberties that were represented by then Florentine Republic, an independent city-state threatened on all sides by more powerful rival states and by the hegemony of the Medici family. The eyes of David, with a warning glare, were turned towards Rome. Now the statue is displayed in the Accademia Gallery while a replica stands in original place.

Florence (mainly the central area) does get a lot of tourists, in fact from April to October tourists outnumber the local population. The tickets to the museums are usually sold out and groups fill the basilicas of Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novella, both of which charge for entry..  It is a city that has outranked many others cities such as Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Rome, Sydney and New York when it comes to what tourists feel is their favourite destination.  Euromonitor International have concluded that cultural and history-oriented tourism is generating significantly increased spending throughout Europe.  The Uffizi sells over 1.6 million tickets per year.