If you're planning a vacation in Italy, then you'll likely include Rome on your itinerary. But have you also considered Florence? Florence is located in the central region of Italy, along the Arno River. Today the population of the city is about 367,000.

Florence: A City With A Storied History

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The city of Florence was originally an Etruscan settlement. Then during the first century BC, Florence was founded as a military colony of the Roman Empire. Afterwards, the Goths, Byzantines, and Lombards (in that order) all controlled Florence. By the late 1100s, Florence had become one of the top cities of Tuscany. It was during this time that it became an independent commune.

During the 1200s, the Guelphs and Ghibellines battled to control the city of Florence. By the 13th century’s conclusion, the Guelphs had earned control of the city. However, they had been splintered into two factions: the Blacks and Whites. A famous event during this period of Florence’s history was Dante’s banishment from the city in 1302, due to his being a White Guelph. However, the conflict between the Whites and Blacks actually made the city larger, causing it to absorb areas such as Pisa. However, this growth was slowed by the Black Death in 1348. The disease killed over half of Florence’s population!
Florence became a city-state. Then following 1434, the mighty Medici family ruled Florence. Medici was an affluent merchant and lover of the arts. Medici ruled from 1469-1492. Later, the Medici family again became dukes of Medici following the fall of Girolamo Savonarola.

From the 1300s until the 1500s, Florence existed as one of Europe’s greatest cities. During this time, it flourished in the areas of finance, commerce, the arts, and education. Throughout the Italian Renaissance, Florence became a powerful city-state. This era saw the emergence of renowned artists such as Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael, and Dante. Furthermore, several architectural structures such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Gothic Duomo serve as artwork themselves.

However, even as the artistic and academic life in Florence flourished, its political life was unsteady. This period saw the rule of Florence by leaders such as Savonarola and Machiavelli.

After the Medicini family had been resulted as Florence’s rulers, the city continued to expand. Within time, it controlled the majority of Tuscany. In 1569, Florence became the capital of Tuscany.

After Italy was unified, Florence served as the capital from 1865-1871. Afterwards, the country’s capital was transferred to Rome.

Amazingly, the artwork of Florence has mainly stayed intact. Few of the country’s artistic treasures were damaged during World War II. Also, damage to artworks caused by a flooding of the Arno in 1966 was also repaired.
If you’re planning to visit Florence, then you should definitely book your holiday apartment online. This will guarantee that you have accommodations once you arrive in the city.

You may also like to see the following articles:

• Feel at Home in Florence Italy by Booking a Holiday Apartment Online
• Reasons To Visit The Elegant City Of Rome
• Florence A Historical Destination This Christmas Season
• Tips on Planning A Fabulous Trip To Florence
• Florence Art Capital Of Italy

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