Home / Piazzas of Florence
Piazza Cesare Beccaria is a square (more of a traffic circle really) located at the intersection of the Giovine Italia and Amendola boulevards. It was realized by the architect Giuseppe Poggi when Florence was the capital of Italy and was dedicated to Cesare Bonesana Marchese di Beccaria in 1876. Cesare Beccaria was an 18th-century Italian criminologist, jurist, philosopher, and politician. Beccar... read more.
Piazza Demidoff is dedicated to the family of the Russian ambassador Nicholas Demidoff, who lived in a palace overlooking the square.
In the square lies a monument to Demidoff commissioned in 1828 by his sons Anatoly and Peter. They ordered the sculptor Lorenzo Bartolini to create a marble statue representing their father surrounded by four allegorical groups representing virtues. Work on the m... read more.
Situated on the northern side of the River Arno lies Piazza Ognissanti, an often overlooked but historically rich and vibrant square.
Historical Core
The heart of the Piazza is the Chiesa di Ognissanti (All Saints Church). This church, founded in the 13th century by the Benedectine Umiliati order, witnessed Baroque-style makeovers in the subsequent centuries. A treasure trove for art enthusiasts... read more.
Piazza San Jacopino is a small piazza just west of the historic center of Florence.
The piazza's name comes from the church of St. James, which is dedicated to the nearby church of San Jacopo in Polverosa. The church was named San Jacopino to distinguish it from other churches in Florence. The church once stood in the square but was demolished following the devastation suffered during the Second... read more.
Piazza San Marco was built in the first half of the 15th century when Cosimo the Elder commissioned Michelozzo to build a church and a monastery for Dominican monks from the convent of San Domenico in Fiesole (today the monastery is in large part the Museum of San Marco, most famously noted for the residence of the monk Girolamo Savonarola and the paintings of Fra Angelico among others). The churc... read more.
Piazza Sant'Ambrogio is overlooked by the church of Sant'Ambrogio (in English St. Ambrose), one of the oldest churches in Florence.
The building was the home of the Benedictines starting in the 10th century but remodeled at the end of the 13th century and restored several times during the following centuries. It is furnished with notable paintings and frescoes, among them the "Madonna del Latte... read more.
Piazza Santa Croce in the snow during the German Christmas Market, December 2010
Piazza Santa Croce is one of the largest and most famous squares of central Florence. The Basilica of Santa Croce, the largest Franciscan church in the world, overlooks the piazza. The basilica's most notable features are its sixteen chapels, many of them decorated with frescoes by Giotto and his pupils, and its tomb... read more.
Piazza Santa Maria Novella was originally intended in the thirteenth century to hold the overflow of worshippers to the Santa Maria Novella church. Beginning in the late fourteenth century it was also used to hold the Palio dei Cocchi chariot races hosted by Cosimo I. The two obelisks were added in 1608 to serve as turning posts in the race. Across the piazza from the church is the fifteenth cent... read more.
Piazza Santa Trìnita is named after the Church of Santa Trìnita on the northwest side of the somewhat triangular square. At the center of the piazza stands the "Column of Justice", a massive granite column from the east section of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. It was the gift of Pope Pius IV in 1560 for Cosimo I, the first Grand Duke of Florence. In 1581 the Justice statue by Tadda was added to... read more.
In 1252, Augustinian monks built a monastery and a church dedicated to "Saint Mary of Ognissanti and the Holy Spirit", which became soon known as the Church of the "Holy Spirit", or as it is known today, Santo Spirito. In just a few decades the church became one of the most important in Florence, and at the end of the 13th century the City council bought the buildings in front of it and demolished... read more.
Piazza Savonarola is large rectangular square that was built in the 19th century. The piazza was dedicated to a Ferrarese friar and a statue for him was built in the square by Enrico Pazzi Ravenna, the same sculptor who built the statue of Dante in Piazza Santa Croce. He sculpted the statue in 1872 and until 1921 it was located in the Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio before being transfe... read more.
Constructed in 1865, this piazza takes the form of a square garden that takes its spatial inspiration from English squares. Up until the First World War the garden was closed by a gate and only owners of the residences surrounding the square had keys to enter. The politician and writer Massimo d'Azeglio died a year before the city council decided to name the square after him in 1866.
The garden ... read more.
Piazza dei Ciompi, named for the "Ciompi" or wool carders of Florence (and their eponymous revolt in 1378), occupies a working class corner of Florence north of Piazza Santa Croce and close to Piazza Sant'Ambrogio.
It is a smaller, rectangular, neighborhood piazza which was finally renovated after after many years of planning by the city, complicated in part due to the existence of the mercantino... read more.
Piazza del Carmine is one of the main squares of the Oltrarno area of Florence and is dominated by the majestic Church of Santa Maria del Carmine. Today the piazza is cradled by the unfinished facade of the basilica, while to the south you can see the dome of the nearby Church of San Frediano in Cestello. Next to the Santa Maria del Carmine church door it is possible to visit the ancient monaster... read more.
The Florence Marathon runs through the Piazza del Duomo every November
For the past 1600 years, the area known today as Piazza del Duomo has been one of the main points of Florence's religious life (in fact the medieval church of Santa Reparata lies buried beneath the pavement of the existing church). It is made up of the area in front of and around both sides and the rear of the Duomo, though ma... read more.
Piazza dell'Indipendenza is a large square in the heart of Florence's historical center. The square was built in the nineteenth century in order to celebrate the April 27, 1859 uprising that led to the abdication of Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany. The uprising was organized by patriots fighting for Italian unification.
The buildings facing the square were all constructed between the 19th and e... read more.
Piazza della Libertà is the northernmost point of the historic centre of Florence. The piazza has been built and rebuilt many times up until the 19th century. After 1865, the square was demolished and finally rebuilt with a new design by Giuseppe Poggi. The square today is surrounded by a number of beautiful Florentine buildings. In the middle of the piazza lies a beautiful and peaceful garden w... read more.
Piazza della Repubblica is one of the largest and most famous city squares in Florence. It is the original site of the Roman Forum (from which columns are believed to be used in the interior of San Miniato). The remains of the ancient Campidoglio are buried beneath what once was the Teatro Gamberinus (now the location of the Hard Rock Cafà©!), just off the northwest corner of the piazza on Via Dà¨... read more.
Arguably one of the most beautiful and harmonious squares in Florence, Piazza della Santissima Annunziata exemplifies the ideals of Renaissance architecture with works by some of the greatest artists and architects of the period. The piazza is surrounded on three sides by balanced porticoes, with the mostly southern oriented side opening on to Via dei Servi.
The area of the piazza was chosen in... read more.
The Piazza della Signoria is the historic, artistic, political, and emotional heart of Florence. The most prominent feature of the Piazza (among many) is the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's town hall, where the mayor still keeps his office. The current "L" shape of the Piazza is due to the razing of some medieval buildings during the Renaissance.
For much more detail and original photos check out ou... read more.
Piazzale Michelangelo is a famous square with a magnificent panoramic view of Florence. It was built in 1869 and designed by the architect Giuseppe Poggi during the urban renewal of the town. At the time, Florence was the capital of Italy and the middle class strongly wanted to show its rebirth.
The piazza is dedicated to the great Renaissance artist Michelangelo and is home to copies of some of... read more.
Piazzas of Florence
The piazzas of Florence are the centers of commerce, community, history, tourism and daily Florentine life. From the more touristy center of Piazza della Repubblica, to the smaller neighborhood piazzas like Piazza Ciompi, they all have a unique place in the history and life of the city.
You can navigate to our individual pages on each piazza using the map below:Piazzas of Florence Map
Piazza Beccaria
Piazza Cesare Beccaria is a square (more of a traffic circle really) located at the intersection of the Giovine Italia and Amendola boulevards. It was realized by the architect Giuseppe Poggi when Florence was the capital of Italy and was dedicated to Cesare Bonesana Marchese di Beccaria in 1876. Cesare Beccaria was an 18th-century Italian criminologist, jurist, philosopher, and politician. Beccar... read more. Piazza Demidoff
Piazza Demidoff is dedicated to the family of the Russian ambassador Nicholas Demidoff, who lived in a palace overlooking the square.
In the square lies a monument to Demidoff commissioned in 1828 by his sons Anatoly and Peter. They ordered the sculptor Lorenzo Bartolini to create a marble statue representing their father surrounded by four allegorical groups representing virtues. Work on the m... read more. Piazza Ognissanti
Situated on the northern side of the River Arno lies Piazza Ognissanti, an often overlooked but historically rich and vibrant square.
Historical Core
The heart of the Piazza is the Chiesa di Ognissanti (All Saints Church). This church, founded in the 13th century by the Benedectine Umiliati order, witnessed Baroque-style makeovers in the subsequent centuries. A treasure trove for art enthusiasts... read more. Piazza San Jacopino
Piazza San Jacopino is a small piazza just west of the historic center of Florence.
The piazza's name comes from the church of St. James, which is dedicated to the nearby church of San Jacopo in Polverosa. The church was named San Jacopino to distinguish it from other churches in Florence. The church once stood in the square but was demolished following the devastation suffered during the Second... read more. Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco was built in the first half of the 15th century when Cosimo the Elder commissioned Michelozzo to build a church and a monastery for Dominican monks from the convent of San Domenico in Fiesole (today the monastery is in large part the Museum of San Marco, most famously noted for the residence of the monk Girolamo Savonarola and the paintings of Fra Angelico among others). The churc... read more. Piazza Sant'Ambrogio
Piazza Sant'Ambrogio is overlooked by the church of Sant'Ambrogio (in English St. Ambrose), one of the oldest churches in Florence.
The building was the home of the Benedictines starting in the 10th century but remodeled at the end of the 13th century and restored several times during the following centuries. It is furnished with notable paintings and frescoes, among them the "Madonna del Latte... read more. Piazza Santa Croce
Piazza Santa Croce in the snow during the German Christmas Market, December 2010
Piazza Santa Croce is one of the largest and most famous squares of central Florence. The Basilica of Santa Croce, the largest Franciscan church in the world, overlooks the piazza. The basilica's most notable features are its sixteen chapels, many of them decorated with frescoes by Giotto and his pupils, and its tomb... read more. Piazza Santa Maria Novella
Piazza Santa Maria Novella was originally intended in the thirteenth century to hold the overflow of worshippers to the Santa Maria Novella church. Beginning in the late fourteenth century it was also used to hold the Palio dei Cocchi chariot races hosted by Cosimo I. The two obelisks were added in 1608 to serve as turning posts in the race. Across the piazza from the church is the fifteenth cent... read more. Piazza Santa Trìnita
Piazza Santa Trìnita is named after the Church of Santa Trìnita on the northwest side of the somewhat triangular square. At the center of the piazza stands the "Column of Justice", a massive granite column from the east section of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. It was the gift of Pope Pius IV in 1560 for Cosimo I, the first Grand Duke of Florence. In 1581 the Justice statue by Tadda was added to... read more. Piazza Santo Spirito
In 1252, Augustinian monks built a monastery and a church dedicated to "Saint Mary of Ognissanti and the Holy Spirit", which became soon known as the Church of the "Holy Spirit", or as it is known today, Santo Spirito. In just a few decades the church became one of the most important in Florence, and at the end of the 13th century the City council bought the buildings in front of it and demolished... read more. Piazza Savonarola
Piazza Savonarola is large rectangular square that was built in the 19th century. The piazza was dedicated to a Ferrarese friar and a statue for him was built in the square by Enrico Pazzi Ravenna, the same sculptor who built the statue of Dante in Piazza Santa Croce. He sculpted the statue in 1872 and until 1921 it was located in the Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio before being transfe... read more. Piazza d'Azeglio
Constructed in 1865, this piazza takes the form of a square garden that takes its spatial inspiration from English squares. Up until the First World War the garden was closed by a gate and only owners of the residences surrounding the square had keys to enter. The politician and writer Massimo d'Azeglio died a year before the city council decided to name the square after him in 1866.
The garden ... read more. Piazza dei Ciompi
Piazza dei Ciompi, named for the "Ciompi" or wool carders of Florence (and their eponymous revolt in 1378), occupies a working class corner of Florence north of Piazza Santa Croce and close to Piazza Sant'Ambrogio.
It is a smaller, rectangular, neighborhood piazza which was finally renovated after after many years of planning by the city, complicated in part due to the existence of the mercantino... read more. Piazza del Carmine
Piazza del Carmine is one of the main squares of the Oltrarno area of Florence and is dominated by the majestic Church of Santa Maria del Carmine. Today the piazza is cradled by the unfinished facade of the basilica, while to the south you can see the dome of the nearby Church of San Frediano in Cestello. Next to the Santa Maria del Carmine church door it is possible to visit the ancient monaster... read more. Piazza del Duomo
The Florence Marathon runs through the Piazza del Duomo every November
For the past 1600 years, the area known today as Piazza del Duomo has been one of the main points of Florence's religious life (in fact the medieval church of Santa Reparata lies buried beneath the pavement of the existing church). It is made up of the area in front of and around both sides and the rear of the Duomo, though ma... read more. Piazza dell'Indipendenza
Piazza dell'Indipendenza is a large square in the heart of Florence's historical center. The square was built in the nineteenth century in order to celebrate the April 27, 1859 uprising that led to the abdication of Grand Duke Leopold II of Tuscany. The uprising was organized by patriots fighting for Italian unification.
The buildings facing the square were all constructed between the 19th and e... read more. Piazza della Libertà
Piazza della Libertà is the northernmost point of the historic centre of Florence. The piazza has been built and rebuilt many times up until the 19th century. After 1865, the square was demolished and finally rebuilt with a new design by Giuseppe Poggi. The square today is surrounded by a number of beautiful Florentine buildings. In the middle of the piazza lies a beautiful and peaceful garden w... read more. Piazza della Repubblica
Piazza della Repubblica is one of the largest and most famous city squares in Florence. It is the original site of the Roman Forum (from which columns are believed to be used in the interior of San Miniato). The remains of the ancient Campidoglio are buried beneath what once was the Teatro Gamberinus (now the location of the Hard Rock Cafà©!), just off the northwest corner of the piazza on Via Dà¨... read more. Piazza della Santissima Annunziata
Arguably one of the most beautiful and harmonious squares in Florence, Piazza della Santissima Annunziata exemplifies the ideals of Renaissance architecture with works by some of the greatest artists and architects of the period. The piazza is surrounded on three sides by balanced porticoes, with the mostly southern oriented side opening on to Via dei Servi.
The area of the piazza was chosen in... read more. Piazza della Signoria
The Piazza della Signoria is the historic, artistic, political, and emotional heart of Florence. The most prominent feature of the Piazza (among many) is the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's town hall, where the mayor still keeps his office. The current "L" shape of the Piazza is due to the razing of some medieval buildings during the Renaissance.
For much more detail and original photos check out ou... read more. Piazzale Michelangelo
Piazzale Michelangelo is a famous square with a magnificent panoramic view of Florence. It was built in 1869 and designed by the architect Giuseppe Poggi during the urban renewal of the town. At the time, Florence was the capital of Italy and the middle class strongly wanted to show its rebirth.
The piazza is dedicated to the great Renaissance artist Michelangelo and is home to copies of some of... read more. Top experiences in and around Florence:
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