Florence

Florentina was established in Roman times as a settlement for veteran soldiers. The name had changed already, when young Charlemagne conquered the town in 774. It became part of the Duchy of Tuscany, with Lucca as capital. Around 1000 Margrave Hugo chose Florence as residency instead of Lucca. After the death of Matilda of Tuscany (1115), the Florentines formed a republic was ruled by a council. The town prospered, despite a constant fight between the different factions and noble families.

In the 15th century, Florence was among the largest and wealthiest cities in Europe. This was, when the Medici family entered the political scene. As a dynasty of art loving, power hungry bankers, they made Florence the birthplace of the Renaissance.

The rain ceased for an hour and so I walked up a hill, to get an overview.

Seen here are the "Ponte Vecchio" crossing the Arno (left), the large tower (94m high!) belongs to the "Palazzo Vecchio", today the town hall of Florence.

The small dome belongs to the "Basilica di San Lorenzo", the white triangle is the roof of the "Battistero di San Giovanni", next to this with the campanile and the large dome is the "Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore". The small church in front of the cathedral is the "Chiesa di Santa Margherita dei Cerchi"..