The Cathedral of Florence, officially known as Cattedrale Santa Maria del Fiore but better known as the Duomo, was originally planned in 1296 as a Gothic cathedral by Arnolfo di Cambio. Francesco Talenti, who lead the construction of the cathedral from 1351 on increased its size even more by expanding the apses and extending the nave. Filippo Brunelleschi - the most important architect of the early Renaissance - designed the Duomo's most striking feature, the enormous dome. Construction of the church would last until 1436 when it was consecrated by pope Eugene IV. The magnificent marble cladding that we see today was only added much later, between 1871 and 1887, in a neo-Gothic style with colorful patterns. As a result the facade nicely complements the design of the cathedral's fourteenth-century bell tower.
The Piazza della Repubblica was created at the end of the nineteenth century as part of an ambitious project to redevelop the historic center of Florence. Its most impressive sight, the Arcone, a triumphal arch, was designed by Vincenzo Micheli. The inscription that dominates the arch reads as follows: L'ANTICO CENTRO DELLA CITTÀ DA SECOLARE SQUALLORE A VITA NUOVA RESTITUITO (The ancient centre of the city / restored from age-old squalor / to new life)
The Palazzo Vecchio ("Old Palace") is the town hall of Florence, Italy. This massive, Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace is among the most impressive town halls of Tuscany. Overlooking the Piazza della Signoria with its copy of Michelangelo's David statue as well as the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi, it is one of the most significant public places in Italy.
