Palazzo Vecchio, Florence

Palazzo Vecchio is the severe stone town hall facing Piazza della Signoria, and its tower gives the building a fortress-like presence. Arnolfo di Cambio began the palace in 1299, creating a civic stronghold for Florence’s governing magistrates. Its style is described as arte romanica and architettura gotica.

Look at the tower’s unusual placement within the façade: it is rectangular, rises 94 m, and is not directly centered because its lower structure incorporates an older family tower. This is the Torre d’Arnolfo, named for its designer. Its small chambers later held Cosimo de’ Medici and Girolamo Savonarola at different moments.

The tower also carries a large clock and three bells, with the oldest bell cast in the 13th century. The building’s name changed as its political role changed. Cosimo I de’ Medici made it his residence in 1540, and it became Palazzo Vecchio after his court moved to Palazzo Pitti.

Today, most of the palace functions as a museum, while the mayor’s office and Florence’s City Council remain here. Across the piazza, Michelangelo’s David is represented by a copy, while the nearby Loggia dei Lanzi displays a gallery of statues. At the entrance, the present David replica stands with Hercules and Cacus, recalling the palace’s long connection with Florence’s political life.