One of the symbols of Florence and one of the most evocative architectural profiles in the world, was consecrated on 25 March 1436 when Filippo Brunelleschi completed the famous dome. The Duomo remained for years without coverage until Brunelleschi decided to build a self-supporting dome, which did not need internal support; to make sure that the structure held up two shells were built, one external and one inside with bricks arranged in herringbone pattern. Brunelleschi also designed the 21-meter-high lantern that overhangs the dome and which made it possible to create one of the most grandiose constructions ever built.

Palazzo dei Priori, renamed Palazzo della Signoria during the twelfth century when it was chosen as the seat of local government (called Signoria), it became Palazzo Ducale first and Palazzo Vecchio then, when Medici’s family moved their court into the new Palazzo Pitti .

The tower of the palace, called Torre di Arnolfo that is 94 meters high, contains a cell called “Alberghetto” that housed Cosimo De ‘Medici from 1433. Cosimo de Medici, for fear of being poisoned, refused to touch the food that was prepared and he managed to save himself thanks to a compliant guard.

Freely inspired by the Loggia dei Pescatori commissioned by Cosimo I to Giorgio Vasari in 1567. The lodge was built to house the fish vendors who had been driven out of their old headquarters located near Ponte Vecchio, was dismantled in the late 1800s and had to wait until 1955 for its complete reconstruction.

Characteristic of the loggia are the blue decorative rounds that depict elements related to fishing and the sea.

Freely inspired by the peasant buildings of the medieval period they tell a lot about peasant life in Renaissance Florence.

A fair number of minor architectural constructions of Florence and of Tuscany in general were destroyed by the Florence earthquake of 1453 which had its epicenter in the city and reached a magnitude of 5.3 on the Richter scale.

The peasant life in Renaissance Florence, as everywhere in the world, was very hard.

Already at the beginning of the Renaissance period, Florence experienced revolts that spread from the countryside to the city: in 1378 happened the “Rivolta dei Ciompi”, the ciompi, who collected and processed the wool, as well as other workers, did not they had representation and were excluded from political life. The ciompi occupied Palazzo dei Priori, but their protest was rejected and were driven from Florence.

The rivolta dei ciompi is remembered for being one of the first popular revolts in the history of Europe.