Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Street-by-Street: Around San Marco
The buildings in this part of Florence once stood on
the fringes of the city, serving as stables and barracks.
The Medici menagerie, including lions, elephants and
giraffes, was housed here. Today it is the student quarter,
and in term-time Piazza di San Marco is filled with
young people waiting for lectures at the university or at
the Accademia di Belle Arti. This is the world's
oldest art school, set up in 1563, with
Michelangelo as a founder
(see p94).
The Palazzo
Pandolfini
was
designed by
Raphael in 1516.
Michelangelo
taught
himself to draw from
the statues in the
Medici gardens.
.
San Marco
This Dominican convent
is now a museum housing
Savonarola's cell and the
spiritual paintings of Fra
Angelico (1395 -1455)
7
Piazza di San Marco
is a lively meeting-place
for students.
Conservatorio
Florence's academy
of music has an excellent
library
0
Cenacolo di
Sant'Apollonia
The refectory of this former
convent features Andrea
del Castagno's
The Last
Supper
(1450)
6
.
Galleria dell'
Accademia
This gallery, famous
for Michelangelo's
David
, also contains
Bonaguida's
Tree of
the Cross
(1330)
9
STAR SIGHTS
.
Galleria
dell'Accademia
. San Marco
Opificio delle
Pietre Dure
Precious mosaics
are restored here
q
. Spedale degli
Innocenti
