Description
Step inside the world of the Medici at the Medici Palace and Palazzo Vecchio.
One can say that the history of Florence’s golden age is synonymous with the history of the Medici family. Hear the tales of murderous plots, political intrigue, conspiracy, but also of art patronage and philanthropy that have captivated history lovers for centuries. This itinerary begins at the Medici Palace with tales of the family’s fourteenth-century origins as shrewd bankers and traces their history from the early 15th century when family’s patronage of the arts helped to transform Florence into the cradle of the Renaissance. Inside the palace we will see the beautifully decorated courtyard then go upstairs to admire the stunning and well-preserved frescoed chapel featuring portraits of the Medici themselves. The tour then continues to Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of the Florentine government and later a symbol of Medici power. The Medici took control not only of Florence, but all of Tuscany, giving birth to a dynasty that went on to produce dukes, popes, and queens. We will walk through room after room packed with stunning art, like 16th-century frescoes, sculpture by Michelangelo and Donatello, the death mask of Dante, and a vision of the 16th-century world in the Hall of Maps. Hear the story about Leonardo’s lost fresco inside the Hall of the Five Hundred, the grand hall where the story of Florence’s political life was written.
Duration: 3 hours
Please note: Not available on Wednesdays due to Palazzo Medici closing.
