Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
beyond. Don't miss the gleaming white, 1979 Cadillac Seville with gold Gs on the hub-
caps and Gucci fabric upholstery.
Displays continue to present day. In the final room, exhibiting men's loafers, be sure to
look in the mirrors (to admire your own feet and inferior footwear).
Piazza della Repubblica
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PIAZZA
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The site of a Roman forum and heart of medieval Florence, this busy civic space was cre-
ated in the 1880s as part of a controversial plan of 'civic improvements' involving the de-
molition of the old market, Jewish ghetto and slums, and the relocation of nearly 6000 res-
idents. Vasari's lovely
Loggia del Pesce
(Fish Market) was saved and re-erected on Via
Pietrapiana. Today the piazza is known for its concentration of historic cafes.
Museo Galileo
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SCIENCE MUSEUM
GOOGLE MAP
( 055 26 53 11;
www.museogalileo.it
;
Piazza dei Giudici 1; adult/reduced/family €9/5.50/22;
9.30am-5.30pm Wed-Mon, to 12.30pm Tue)
On the river next to the Uffizi in 12th-century
Palazzo Castellani - look for the sundial telling the time on the pavement outside - is this
state-of-the-art science museum, named after the great Pisa-born scientist who was invited
by the Medici court to Florence in 1610 (don't miss two of his fingers and a tooth dis-
played here).
A visit of the museum unravels a mesmerising curiosity box of astronomical and math-
ematical treasures (think telescopes, beautiful painted globes, barometers, watches, clocks
and so on) collected by Cosimo I and other Medicis from 1562 and, later, the Lorraine
dynasty. Allow plenty of time for the interactive area where various hands-on exhibits al-
low visitors to discover first-hand how and why some of the historic instruments actually
work. Temporary exhibitions are equally compelling.
Chiesa e Museo di Orsanmichele
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CHURCH, MUSEUM
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(Via dell'Arte della Lana; church 10am-5pm, museum 10am-5pm Mon)
This thoroughly
unusual and inspirational church, with a splendid Gothic tabernacle by Andrea Orcagna,
was created when the arcades of an old grain market (1290) were walled in and two
storeys added during the 14th century. A real must-see, its exterior is exquisitely decor-
ated with niches and tabernacles bearing statues.
