Firenze

Firenze is the Italian name for the city commonly known in English as Florence. It is the capital of the Tuscany region in central Italy, situated along the Arno River. From its origins as a modest Etruscan settlement, it developed into a powerful medieval commune and later a major center of banking and diplomacy. Its historic centre is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As a cradle of the Renaissance, Firenze houses numerous architectural and artistic masterpieces. Key sights include the Florence Cathedral (the Duomo) with Brunelleschi’s dome, the Baptistery, Giotto’s Campanile, and the Palazzo Vecchio. The Ponte Vecchio spans the Arno, while the Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Palace with the Boboli Gardens hold renowned collections. The city’s prosperity under the Medici family helped cultivate painters, sculptors, and scientists such as Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo.

The city remains a major center of art, culture, education, and tourism. The population of Firenze proper is roughly 380,000, with a larger metropolitan area around 1.5 million. Transport connections include Florence Santa Maria Novella railway station and the Amerigo Vespucci Airport (Firenze Peretola). The economy relies on tourism, services, high-quality crafts such as leather goods, and research institutions, including the University of Florence.