Florence: Great City of the Renaissance - Italy - page 88

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Florence: Great

City of the

Renaissance
It was here that humankind cast off the shackles
of the Middle Ages.

by Bill Fink

A THIRD OF ALL UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES ARE IN ITALY . AND A THIRD
of these are right here in relatively small, compact Florence, making it one of the
most historically important cities in the world.
Those who are familiar with Florence's history know that the designation
makes a strange sort of sense: After all, this is exactly the status that Florence
enjoyed in the minds of most Europeans back in the 15th and 16th centuries,
when its achievements in art, architecture, science, and literature were
unmatched. As the center of the Renaissance movement, and the hometown of its
leaders--Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, da Vinci, Giotto, Galileo, and others—it
built up a store of riches that still dazzles today: the masterpiece-packed Uffizi
Gallery, the ingenious domed cathedral, Michelangelo's David, and the city's stun-
ningly decorated halls, palaces, and chapels. These treasures are still representative
of the best mankind can achieve. And because of this, Florence remains a must-
visit destination for every first-time traveler to Italy, and a must-return destination
for anyone who cares about art and architecture.
DON'T LEAVE FLORENCE WITHOUT . . .
SEEING MICHELANGELO'S DAVID IN THE ACCADEMIA Rarely does
a work of art live up to its reputation as this one does. Note that the outdoor
David, in the city's main plaza, is a copy of the original, which is preserved in the
Accademia.

TOURING THE UFFIZI Yes, everyone does it, but for good reason: The
Uffizi has one of the best art collections on Earth.

GETTING INTO LEATHER Florence is a mecca for leather goods, attract-
ing hundreds of jacket-, boot-, and bag-makers. Tour the street stalls of San
Lorenzo Market or the higher-end shops of Santa Croce for good deals and/or
fine craftsmanship.

ROAMING THE DOME Check out the Duomo, Florence's cathedral, and
Brunelleschi's massive dome from the inside, the outside, and up on top.

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