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During my two week stay in Italy in January 2016, as I was based in the region of Emilia-Romagna, it was expected that I wouldn’t leave before paying a visit to one of the world’s greatest cities of art and architecture, Florence, which was located not far away, and I set off for this exciting journey on the second weekend. The weather in Bologna where I changed trains was wonderfully sunny and not too cold, which made me hope for the same or even better conditions in Florence. After all the two cities are only half an hour apart by high-speed train. But when the train exited the interminable tunnel under the Apennines, I found myself surrounded by grayness, with a depressingly overcast sky. Moreover, when I got down at Santa Maria Novella station (the city’s railway terminus), it seemed to me like it was quite colder than in Emilia-Romagna, although I expected the contrary as the city should normally be sheltered by the Apennines from the northern winds that sweep through the neighboring region. But anyway, I was in Florence and that was what I could get for weather (at least it was not raining, and I was hoping it wouldn’t start later!), so I exited the station to start my exploration.
As I did in my thread about Ravenna, I present first of all a summary of the lengthy and turbulent history of Florence until the mid 19th century, focusing on the role played in it by the powerful political dynasty of the Medici (who sponsored Renaissance art and architecture, and were responsible for a large proportion of the Florentine art created during their period of rule) and by the Church (for which most of the artistic treasures were commissioned), so you can get appreciate the various monuments and buildings in their historical context.
As I did in my thread about Ravenna, I present first of all a summary of the lengthy and turbulent history of Florence until the mid 19th century, focusing on the role played in it by the powerful political dynasty of the Medici (who sponsored Renaissance art and architecture, and were responsible for a large proportion of the Florentine art created during their period of rule) and by the Church (for which most of the artistic treasures were commissioned), so you can get appreciate the various monuments and buildings in their historical context.