43°47N 11°15E, pop (2000e) 408 000. Ancient city and capital of Florence province, Tuscany, NC Italy, on R Arno; ancient Etruscan town; major trading centre by 12th-c; cultural and intellectual centre of Italy from the Middle Ages; capital of new Kingdom of Italy, 186570; badly damaged by floods, 1966; archbishopric; airport (Pisa, 53 km/33 mi); railway; university (1321); European University Institute (1972); seat of the Accademia della Crusca (1582); metallurgical products, precision engineering, telecommunications, leather, crafts, jewellery, publishing, cosmetics, medicinal products, cultural activities, tourism; city centre a world heritage site; famed for its many religious buildings, palaces and galleries, notably the Baptistery of San Giovanni (c.1000, rebuilt 11th13th-c), the Duomo (1296); Churches of Santa Croce (begun 1295), Santa Maria Novella (12781350), Santa Maria del Carmine (largely rebuilt, 1782), San Lorenzo (393, rebuilt 1425), San Marco (13th-c, since rebuilt), Santissima Annunziata (1250), Or San Michele, (13th14th-c); Palazzo Vecchio (12981314), Palazzo degli Uffizi (156074), Palazzo Medici-Riccardi (144452), Palazzo Pitti (15th-c and later), Ponte Vecchio (completed 1345); birthplace of Dante and Macchiavelli; religious festivals throughout the year, particularly at Easter; music festival (May); Gioco del Callio 16th-c football (Jun).
| Comune di Firenze | |
|---|---|
|
Municipal coat of arms |
|
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Tuscany |
| Province | Florence (FI) |
| Mayor | Leonardo Domenici |
| Elevation | 50 m |
| Area | 102 km² |
| Population | |
| - Total (as of 2006-06-02) | 366,488 |
| - Density | 3,593/km² |
| Time zone | CET, UTC+1 |
| Coordinates | 43°78′N 11°25′E |
| Gentilic | Fiorentini |
| Dialing code | 055 |
| Postal code | 50100 |
| Frazioni | Galluzzo, Settignano |
| Patron | St. John the Baptist |
| - Day | June 24 |
|
Location of Florence in Italy |
|
| Website: www.comune.firenze.it | |
Florence (Italian: Firenze) is the capital city of the region of Tuscany, Italy.
From 1865 to 1870 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
The historic Centre of Florence was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1982.
History of Florence
Florence's recorded history began with the establishment in 59 BC of a settlement for Roman former soldiers, with the name Florentia (May She Flourish) .
The seat of a bishopric from around the beginning of the 4th century AD, the city experienced subsequent turbulent periods of Ostrogothic rule, during which the city was often besieged and ravaged.
Margrave Hugo chose Florence as his residency instead of Lucca at about 1000 AD.
Reviving from the 10th century and governed from 1115 by an autonomous commune, the city was plunged into internal strife by the 13th-century struggle between the Ghibellines, supporters of the German emperor, and the pro-Papal Guelphs, who after their victory split in turn into feuding "White" and "Black" factions led respectively by Vieri de Cerchi and Corso Donati.
Political conflict did not, however, prevent the city's rise to one of the most powerful and prosperous in Europe, assisted by her own strong gold currency, the florin (introduced in 1252), the eclipse of her formerly powerful rival Pisa (defeated by Genoa in 1284 and subjugated by Florence in 1406), and the exercise of power by the mercantile elite following an anti-aristocratic movement, led by Giano della Bella, that resulted in a set of laws called the Ordinances of Justice (1293).
Of a population estimated at 80,000 before the Black Death of 1348, about 25,000 are said to have been supported by the city's wool industry: in 1345 Florence was the scene of an attempted strike by wool combers (ciompi), who in 1378 rose up in a brief revolt against oligarchic rule in the Revolt of the Ciompi.
A second individual of unusual insight was Niccolò Machiavelli, whose prescriptions for Florence's regeneration under strong leadership have often been seen as a legitimisation of political expediency and even malpractice.
The extinction of the Medici line and the accession in 1737 of Francis Stephen, duke of Lorraine and husband of Maria Theresa of Austria, led to Tuscany's inclusion in the territories of the Austrian crown.
Florence replaced Turin as Italy's capital in 1865, hosting the country's first parliament, but was superseded by Rome six years later, after the withdrawal of the French troops made its addition to the kingdom possible. The Allied soldiers who died driving the Germans from Tuscany are buried in cemeteries outside the city (Americans about 9 kilometers (6 miles) south of the city , British and Commonwealth soldiers a few kilometers east of the center on the north bank of the Arno )
In November 1966 the Arno flooded parts of the centre, damaging many art treasures.
Florence and the Renaissance
The surge in artistic, literary, and scientific investigation that occurred in Florence in the 14th-16th centuries was precipitated by Florentines' preoccupation with money, banking and trade and with the display of wealth and leisure.
Geography
Climate
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high [°C](°F) | 10 (50) | 12 (54) | 15 (59) | 19 (66) | 23 (74) | 28 (82) | 31 (88) | 31 (87) | 27 (80) | 21 (70) | 15 (59) | 11 (51) | 20 (68) |
| Avg low temperature [°C](°F) | 2 (35) | 3 (37) | 5 (41) | 8 (46) | 11 (52) | 15 (59) | 17 (63) | 17 (63) | 14 (58) | 10 (50) | 6 (42) | 2 (36) | 9 (49) |
| Rainfall [inches](millimeters) | 2.90 (73.60) | 2.70 (68.58) | 3.20 (81.28) | 3.10 (78.74) | 2.90 (73.66) | 2.20 (55.88) | 1.60 (40.64) | 3.00 (76.20) | 3.10 (78.74) | 3.50 (88.90) | 4.40 (111.76) | 3.60 (91.44) | 36.20 (919.48) |
Florence has what is classified as a warm temperate continental climate.
Main sights
The best-known site and crowning architectural jewel of Florence is the domed cathedral of the city, Santa Maria del Fiore, known as "The Duomo".
At the heart of the city in Piazza della Signoria is Bartolommeo Ammanati's Fountain of Neptune, which is a masterpiece of marble sculpture at the terminus of a still functioning Roman aqueduct.
The Arno river, which cuts through the old part of the city, is as much a character in Florentine history as many of the men who lived there.
The San Lorenzo contains the Medici Chapel, a private chapel owned by the Medici family who were one of the most powerful families in Florence during the 15th century.
The Uffizi ("offices") itself is located on the corner of Piazza della Signoria, a site important for three main reasons:
In 1301, it was where Dante was sent into Exile (a plaque on one of the walls of the Uffizi commemorates the event).In addition to the Uffizi, Florence has other world-class museums:
The Bargello concentrates on sculpture, containing many priceless works of art created by such sculptors as Donatello, Giambologna, and Michelangelo.
Other important basilicas in Florence include Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo, Santo Spirito and the Orsanmichele.
The city's principal football team is AC Fiorentina.
Florence has been the setting for numerous works of fiction and movies, including the novels and associated films Hannibal and A Room with a View.
Other points of interest
Institute and Museum of the History of Science Museo di Storia Naturale di Firenze Orto Botanico di FirenzeDemography
As of 2004, the greater Firenze (Florence) area had a population of 957,949 inhabitants, 93.30% being ethnic Italian.
Age structure
00 - 14 (115,175) = 12.02% 15 - 64 (619 961) = 64.63% 65+ (223,613) = 23.34%Like much of Europe, many cities are undergoing an ageing process due to the low fertility rates among the women.
Transportation
The principal public transportation network within the city is run by the ATAF and Li-nea bus company, with tickets available at local tobacconists, bars and newspaper stalls.
The centre of the city is closed to through-traffic, although buses, taxis and residents with appropriate permits are allowed in.
An urban tram network called the TramVia is currently under construction in the City.
The city is located close to Peretola Airport which has scheduled services run by major European carriers such as Air France and Lufthansa.
Economy and industry
Tourism is unquestionably the most significant industry within the center of Florence.
Florence is also home to the Italian haute couture establishment Gucci, notable as one of the most famous Italian fashion houses not located in Milan.
Cuisine
Florentine food grows out of a tradition of peasant eating rather than rarefied high cooking. Gabriel Batistuta, Highest scoring Argentine Footballer and a Fiorentina legend
Administration
Mayor: Leonardo Domenici, elected June 13, 1999 See also: List of mayors of FlorenceTwinning
Florence maintains cultural, economic and educational ties with Edinburgh, Scotland
Sister cities include:
| Kraków, Poland Athens, Greece Dresden, Germany Kassel, Germany Edinburgh, Scotland Granada, Spain Reims, France Riga, Latvia Turku, Finland Istanbul, Turkey Aaiun, Morocco Asmara, Eritrea | Fes, Morocco Isfahan, Iran Kiev, Ukraine Kuwait City, Kuwait Kyoto, Japan Nanjing, People's Republic of China Nazareth, Israel Philadelphia, United States Salvador, Bahia, Brazil Sydney, Australia Tirana, Albania Yerevan, Armenia |
User Comments Add a comment…