Contenus masquer
1 Highlights around the square
2 Tour of the square: works and monuments
3 Historical overview
4 Guided tour proposals
5 Photo gallery
6 Where is Piazza della Signoria, map
7 Information

Piazza della Signoria is the political and historical heart of Florence. Located just a few steps from the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) and the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno, it gathers monuments, sculptures, and palaces that bear witness to the power of the Florentine Republic and the patronage of the Medici. It is at once a civic square, an open-air museum, and a lively meeting place for both visitors and Florentines.
The Palazzo Vecchio dominates the square, the historic seat of communal power. The entrance to the Uffizi Gallery is here as well, and monumental statues adorn it, including the copy of Michelangelo’s famous David.

Highlights around the square

  • Palazzo Vecchio: the former seat of government, symbol of communal authority.
  • Loggia dei Lanzi: an arcaded gallery housing renowned sculptures such as Cellini’s Perseus or Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women.
  • Fountain of Neptune: created by Bartolomeo Ammannati in the 16th century.
  • Monumental statues: copy of Michelangelo’s David, Hercules and Cacus by Baccio Bandinelli, Judith and Holofernes by Donatello.
  • Presence of ancient works: lions, Roman statues, and decorations.

Tour of the square: works and monuments

Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Florence

Palazzo Vecchio

Piazza della Signoria opens as a vast rectangular space dominated by the imposing silhouette of the Palazzo Vecchio and its Arnolfo Tower. In front of the palace stands the copy of Michelangelo’s David, installed here in 1504 to embody the strength of the Florentine Republic, next to Bandinelli’s Hercules and Cacus (1534). The Fountain of Neptune (1565), commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici from Ammannati, symbolizes Florence’s maritime power.
On the south side, the Loggia dei Lanzi is recognizable by its sequence of Gothic arches transformed into an exhibition space for sculptures: Cellini’s Perseus holding the Head of Medusa, a Mannerist bronze masterpiece (1554), and Giambologna’s dynamic Rape of the Sabine Women (1583) are the most renowned. Ancient sculptures are also visible, such as a lion, symbol of strength and vigilance. The square’s paving, often filled with visitors, enhances this monumental setting where architecture, civic art, and historical memory intertwine.

Historical overview

Piazza della Signoria was created in the 13th century during the development of the area around the Palazzo Vecchio, then known as the Palazzo della Signoria, seat of the communal government. It quickly became the center of Florentine political life: popular assemblies and official proclamations were held here. In 1497, the reformer Savonarola organized the “Bonfire of the Vanities” here, before being himself executed and burned on the square the following year—an event still marked by an inscription on the ground.
The square was the stage of rivalries between political factions and of public demonstrations, but also of sumptuous ceremonies organized by the Medici. The gradual placement of statues and the fountain between the 15th and 16th centuries transformed the square into a scene of visual propaganda, where each sculpture served to recall the values of the Republic or the authority of the dukes. Over time, it became a symbolic space embodying Florentine identity, preserving this dual role as civic center and open-air museum, continuing today as one of the city’s most emblematic spaces.

Guided tour proposals

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Photo gallery

Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Firenze
Palazzo Pubblico
Perseus with Medusa, Piazza della Signoria, Florence
Perseus holding the head of Medusa
Davide of Michelangelo (copy), Piazza della Signoria, Florence
David by Michelangelo (copy)
Neptune's Fountain, Piazza della Signoria, Florence
Neptune’s Fountain
Polixene kidnapping, Piazza della Signoria, Florence
Polixene kidnapping
Neptune's Fountain, Piazza della Signoria, Florence
Neptune’s Fountain
Davide of Michelangelo (copy), Piazza della Signoria, Florence
David by Michelangelo (copy)

Where is Piazza della Signoria, map

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Information

Links and sources

Articles category Florence