Piazza della Signoria, Florence

History of Piazza della Signoria

Piazza della Signoria took shape in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, when Florence built a palace here for the Signoria, the government of the republic, which gave the square its name. That building, now known as the Palazzo Vecchio, is still the town hall: the city council meets inside, and its crenellated tower can be seen from almost anywhere in the old centre.

The square is an odd shape, more of an L than a neat rectangle, because it grew piece by piece as old houses were cleared. It became the city's main stage, where citizens gathered for assemblies, decisions were announced, festivals were held and honoured guests were welcomed. Under the Medici dukes it turned into a showcase for their power and taste.

That's why there is so much sculpture here. Every statue carried a message: David stood for a small but defiant republic, while the equestrian Cosimo I announced the new ducal order. The result is an open-air museum that needs no ticket and never closes.

Loggia dei Lanzi: a sculpture gallery with no walls

To the right of the Palazzo Vecchio, at the mouth of the Uffizi, stands the Loggia dei Lanzi, a broad open arcade of three round arches built in 1376–1382. It was designed as a covered stand for the republic's public ceremonies. The name came later, in the 16th century, from the German guards of Duke Cosimo I who were posted here and whom Florentines called the lanzi.

Today it is one of the world's great sculpture galleries, only without walls or a ticket desk. Under the left arch is Benvenuto Cellini's bronze Perseus, cast in 1545–1554; Cellini was so proud of it that he described the nerve-racking casting at length in his autobiography. On the right is Giambologna's Rape of the Sabine Women, three spiralling figures carved from a single block of marble and meant to be walked all the way round.

Further back are ancient Roman statues and 19th-century pieces, and two marble lions guard the steps. You're allowed to sit on those steps, which makes the loggia one of the few shady spots in the centre where you can rest with a view over the whole square.

What to see in Piazza della Signoria

• Michelangelo's David (replica) — in the original spot by the palace door.
• Cellini's Perseus — bronze under the left arch of the loggia.
• Giambologna's Rape of the Sabine Women — marble group in the loggia.
• Neptune fountain — Ammannati's white giant with bronze sea gods.
• Cosimo I on horseback — bronze by Giambologna.
• Bandinelli's Hercules and Cacus — David's companion by the door.
• Palazzo Vecchio — the town hall, its tower and courtyard.

David, Neptune and Cosimo I

A marble replica of David stands at the Palazzo Vecchio entrance. Michelangelo's original stood here for more than three and a half centuries from 1504 and is now in the Accademia Gallery. Beside it is Hercules and Cacus by Baccio Bandinelli, placed as David's partner; Florentines, who loved a comparison, mocked it loudly while the sculptor was still alive.

At the corner of the palace is the Fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati (1560–1574). Locals promptly nicknamed the huge white sea god Il Biancone, the big white one. The bronze sea gods and fauns around the basin are far more graceful than Neptune himself. The fountain has been restored in recent years and is running again.

Deeper into the square is the bronze equestrian statue of Cosimo I de' Medici, first Grand Duke of Tuscany, by Giambologna, with reliefs from his reign on the pedestal. It was one of the first large equestrian monuments of the Renaissance, and its model was later copied in Paris and Madrid.

When to go and where to have a coffee

The square looks good at any hour, but best early in the morning, before the groups arrive, and in the evening, when the Palazzo Vecchio and the loggia are lit. Summer afternoons are busy and loud, though that's when buskers and street artists are out. At night the square stays open and the loggia statues are floodlit, so you can study Perseus without a crowd.

Old cafés with terraces line the edges. The best known is Caffè Rivoire, founded in the 19th century and famous for its thick hot chocolate. Coffee at a terrace table facing the palace costs noticeably more than standing at the bar inside, as almost everywhere in Italy. Next door, the old Palazzo della Mercanzia houses the fashionable Gucci Garden museum and restaurant.

Piazza della Signoria is a handy place to start the day: the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio, the cathedral and the Bargello are all within five minutes. To see the whole square from above, climb the Palazzo Vecchio tower, which looks straight down on the statues and the fountain.

Florence's historic sights: compare and choose

Squares, palaces and churches in Florence rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

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Palazzo Vecchio

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Vasari Corridor

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Orsanmichele

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Uffizi Gallery

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How to do it right

• Free and open around the clock.
• The David here is a replica.
• You can sit on the loggia steps.
• Mornings and evenings are quieter.

Questions