Walking Tour of Florence. The squares of Florence.

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March 16, 2020
Walking Tour of Florence
1 The squares of Florence.
The squares of Florence are perhaps some of the most beautiful and majestic places that I have ever been to. The plazas are very spacious as it allows for a lot of light and easement. The buildings are also very unique and simplistic since most of the designs seem to be a remnant of Florence’s rich history. Aside from that, modern-day Florence also seems to have strategic urban planning since the streets are very spacious and new buildings are designed similar to traditional architectural motifs of Florence.
One of the main plazas that piqued my interest is the Piazza del Duomo. It is deemed by most residents as the very heart of Florence since several architectural landmarks such as the Florence Cathedral, the Loggia del Bigallo, and the Canonici’s Place, among others, are located here. Historically, it was said that the Piazza is already large enough to hold some of the most significant events in the history of Florence. However, Architect Piermarini’s work has created another smaller plaza beside the original space, which created the vast expanse that tourist enjoys today.
Another smaller yet impressive plazas in Florence is the Piazza Santa Croce. It is only a few blocks away from Piazza Della Signoria and is more subtle in space and design as compared to the Piazza del Duomo. It is worth noting that the very name of the plaza itself is derived from the Basilica of Santa Croce, which serves as a centrepiece of the square. At the southern side of the plaza was the Palazzo dell’Antella. Despite its very simplistic appearance, some residents have said that such architecture was designed by the Italian painter San Giovanni himself.
2 The three circles of walls.
Similar to the expansion of some old empires, the expansion of Florence started from its very capital crawling through its outskirts and finally, until it became where it is today. It was said that Florence’s central expansion started during the late Middle ages as the main empire has absorbed smaller towns such as Fiesole and the others. During the walking tour, I have seen what most would call as the “first circle”, which was constructed near the Piazza del Duomo and the Piazza Santa Trinita. It was said that during the construction of the wall, the city of Florence consists of a vast area, which surrounds the Piazza Della Repubblica as its centre. Accordingly, after the fall of the Romans and the rise of the Byzantine Empire, Florence had suffered from a crisis that diminished both its power, resources, and even its population. Some residents would say that second wall (or the “second circle”) was built a little smaller than the original one to be easily defended from foreign invaders. Within the second circle is the Piazza Elisabetta, which houses the magnificent Torre Della Pagliazza. Lastly, the third wall or third circle of the city of Florence...