# Piazza della Signoria, Florence > Piazza della Signoria is Florence's main square, in front of the Palazzo Vecchio town hall and at the centre of civic life for seven centuries. It holds a replica of Michelangelo's David, the Neptune fountain and Cosimo I on horseback, while the open Loggia dei Lanzi shelters Cellini's Perseus and Giambologna's Rape of the Sabine Women. It's free and open around the clock; allow 30 to 40 minutes. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/piazza-della-signoria - City: [Florence](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence), Italy - YesGo score: 53/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 40 min - Opening hours: Open square, 24 hours - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free, open 24 hours - Highlights: David, Perseus, Neptune, Loggia dei Lanzi - Next door: Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi - Time needed: 30–40 minutes - Location: 5 minutes' walk from the Duomo - Coordinates: 43.76972, 11.25556 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **14th c.** — the square became the seat of the Florentine Republic (source: English Wikipedia) - **1376–1382** — the Loggia dei Lanzi was built (source: English Wikipedia) - **1545–1554** — Benvenuto Cellini cast his Perseus (source: English Wikipedia) - **1560–1574** — Bartolomeo Ammannati made the Neptune fountain (source: English Wikipedia) - **1910** — a marble David replica went up by the palace door (source: English Wikipedia) ## 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](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/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](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/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. > **Where the real David is** The marble David by the Palazzo Vecchio door is a replica, set up in 1910. Michelangelo's original was moved indoors to the Accademia Gallery in 1873 to protect it from the weather. See the real statue there; here you see it in the spot it was carved for. ## David, Neptune and Cosimo I A marble replica of **David** stands at the Palazzo Vecchio entrance. [Michelangelo's original](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/galleria-dell-accademia) 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. ## How to get to Piazza della Signoria 1. From [Florence Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-cathedral), 5 minutes on foot along Via dei Calzaiuoli. 2. From the [Ponte Vecchio](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/ponte-vecchio), 5 minutes through the Uffizi courtyard. 3. From **Santa Maria Novella** station, 15 minutes on foot. 4. The historic centre is closed to cars, so walking is easiest. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/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. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Come early or in the evening to avoid crowds - [ ] Find Perseus and the Sabine Women in the loggia - [ ] Compare David with Bandinelli's Hercules - [ ] Look at the bronze sea gods round the Neptune fountain - [ ] Step into the Palazzo Vecchio courtyard — it's free ## Florence's historic sights: compare and choose Squares, palaces and churches in Florence rated by YesGo. - [Florence Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-cathedral) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Free; dome paid - [Ponte Vecchio](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/ponte-vecchio) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free - [Piazza della Signoria](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/piazza-della-signoria) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free - [Palazzo Vecchio](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/palazzo-vecchio) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Courtyard free, museum paid - [Uffizi Gallery](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/uffizi) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Paid - [Santa Croce](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/santa-croce) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Paid - [Palazzo Pitti](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/palazzo-pitti) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Paid - [Santa Maria Novella](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/santa-maria-novella) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [Florence Baptistery](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-baptistery) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Combined cathedral pass - [Basilica of San Lorenzo](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/san-lorenzo) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Paid - [Vasari Corridor](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/vasari-corridor) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid, timed entry - [Palazzo Medici Riccardi](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/palazzo-medici-riccardi) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [Orsanmichele](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/orsanmichele) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Laurentian Library](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/laurentian-library) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Paid - [Santo Spirito](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/santo-spirito) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Galleria dell'Accademia](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/galleria-dell-accademia) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Paid - [Medici Chapels](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/medici-chapels) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [San Miniato al Monte](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/san-miniato) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Brancacci Chapel](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/brancacci-chapel) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Paid, timed entry - [Giotto's Campanile](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/giottos-campanile) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Combined cathedral pass - [Bargello](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/bargello) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Paid - [Palazzo Strozzi](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/palazzo-strozzi) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Courtyard free, exhibitions paid - [Museo Galileo](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/museo-galileo) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Paid - [Boboli Gardens](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/boboli-gardens) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Paid - [Fiesole](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/fiesole) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Town free, ruins paid ## The heart of Florence in half a day Piazza della Signoria, the Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi, then across the Arno on the Ponte Vecchio. 1. [Piazza della Signoria](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/piazza-della-signoria) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free 2. [Palazzo Vecchio](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/palazzo-vecchio) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Courtyard free, museum paid 3. [Uffizi Gallery](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/uffizi) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Paid 4. [Ponte Vecchio](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/ponte-vecchio) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free ## Don't mix it up Piazza della Signoria and Piazza del Duomo are two different squares five minutes apart: this one has the town hall and statues, the other the domed cathedral. And the David here is a replica; the original is in the Accademia. ## Tips - 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 ### What is there to see in Piazza della Signoria? The Palazzo Vecchio, the David replica, the Neptune fountain, Cosimo I on horseback and the Loggia dei Lanzi sculptures, including Cellini's Perseus and Giambologna's Sabine Women. ### Do you need a ticket for Piazza della Signoria? No, the square and the Loggia dei Lanzi are free and open 24 hours; only the Palazzo Vecchio museum charges. ### Where is Cellini's Perseus? In the Loggia dei Lanzi on Piazza della Signoria, under the arch nearest the Palazzo Vecchio. ### Is the David in Piazza della Signoria real? No, it's a 1910 replica; Michelangelo's original is in the Accademia Gallery. ### How long do you need? 30 to 40 minutes for the statues and loggia, longer if you go into the Palazzo Vecchio. ## How we checked History and sculpture from English Wikipedia. The square and loggia are open and free at all hours. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Piazza della Signoria, Loggia dei Lanzi and Fountain of Neptune (Florence) - Florence civic museums, musefirenze.it --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.