Piazza della Signoria

This is the heart of Florence. The historical center. An outdoor museum, if you will, of a beautiful assortment of Renaissance sculptures scattered throughout a well-​maintained and very clean square. People watching is fun during the day, but everything is beautifully lit up at night and not nearly as crowded. A replica of Michelangelo’s David (original is in the Accademia) and the Fountain of Neptune are highlights of the piazza. However, there are plenty of works to enjoy throughout, including at the Loggia dei Lanzi, housing Medici lions and the Rape of the Sabine Women, as well as others.

Piazza del Duomo may be more photogenic, but this piazza is actually the most important one in Florence! Dating back even before the Renaissance, Piazza della Signoria has been and continues to be the main square of this beautiful city, and served as the settings for many historic events including the infamous Bonfire of Vanities. Of course you can’t miss this iconic plaza!
With the city hall Palazzo Vecchio overlooking, Piazza della Signoria may be Florence’s largest square and usually the most festive! Especially at night, you will find either formal events like an outdoors symphony concert or street performers displaying their talents. Aside from these dynamic arts, this piazza also has an impressive but often overlooked static art gallery: Loggia dei Lanzi.
When first debuted, this arched lodge was so pleased to the folks that even Michelangelo proposed to enclose the entire plaza with it! Ever since, it continues to be an open-​air sculpture gallery featuring Renaissance-​era masterpieces like the Rape of Sabine Women. Artsy.
Anyway, you have many reasons to visit this piazza! Be sure to take an obligatory photo against the backdrop of Palazzo Vecchio’s offset tower here, because while the Duomo is beautiful, nothing says Florence better than its main square, Piazza della Signoria.
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tl;dr version:
1) Main and largest square of historic Florence
2) Usually performances going on at night
3) Open-​air sculpture gallery Loggia dei Lanzi
4) Must-​go destination of Florence

Entering Piazza della Signoria is like having a head on mind crash with the Renaissance. It’s just that overwhelming. Tagged by many as being the finest piazza in Italy, I would have to agree. The superstar of it for me, however, is the Loggia dei Lanzi, an open-​air sculpture gallery as designed in 1376 and best of all, it’s free and you are free to linger in admiration as long as you like. As an open air statuary it’s unparalleled as it houses the bronze statue of Perseus, the mythical Greek hero holding his sword in his right hand with Medusa’s severed head in his left, Rape of the Sabine Women by the Flemish artist Jean de Boulogne, Giambologna’s Hercules beating the Centaur Nessus along with so many others.
Nearby on the steps of Palazzo Vecchio., within clear sight of Loggia dei Lanzi, is an outside replica of Michelangelo’s David with the original work housed inside for security and safety reasons.

An amazing experience, historically and architecturally. It’s a must see if you’re in Florence and try to see it at night time when it’s beautifully lit up. There’s lots of shopping and restaurants to choose from, just be cautious of the tourist traps in the area.

Really cool place for soaking up some history and culture.
Local pizzeria and cafes are pretty neat hang outs! Basically, order the slice of pizza you want and they weigh it for you. Fresh thin crust topped with great sauce, sprinkled with mozzarella, fresh basil and arugala. Yum!

A very busy square in the heart of Florence. The sculptures around the plaza are beautiful and the church is quite a sight. Everywhere you look there’s something incredible to admire and learn about. Well worth a visit

A beautiful square in the heart of the city filled with tourists and local gawking at the gorgeous statues, the fountain, and checking out the Palazzo Vecchio. I even saw a bride and groom sneak some pictures in between the statues on the stairs.
Great central location in this small town.

The first thing you will notice is the crow. The second thing you noticed is that they all clustered together. Actually, they are all taking photos of the duplication of some the world most famous sculptures. Besides the white David, more master pieces are located at the corner under the roof. These folks selling souvenirs all ran off when a police offer showed up.

The heart of Florence! At least that’s what it felt like for me. Steps away from the famous (and stunning) Duomo, Galleria dell’Accademia (
), restaurants, gelato shops, markets, etc etc. So much life in this piazza, it’d be hard not to get wrapped up in everything Florence.

Auch hier nutzte ich beim ersten mal die Gunst der frühen Stunde — ich kam um halb 7 morgens mit dem Nachtzug aus Wien in Florenz an — und konnte die Ruhe der frühen Stunde genießen, als die Touristen noch schliefen. Der Platz wirkt aufgrund der Fülle von Palazzi und Statuen, die hier stehen, wirklich beeindruckend, wie es sich eben für das Zentrum einer Republik gebührt.
Michelangelos David ist wohl eines der bekanntesten Kunstwerke weltweit und so herrscht hier Selfie-​Alarm — zumindest wenn man etwas später kommt, früh morgens, besonders wenn die benachbarten Uffizien noch zu haben, herrscht hier noch eine fast trügerische Ruhe. Viele der Statuen sind zwar Kopien — die Originale sind auf verschiedene Museen in Florenz verteilt, aber dennoch bekommt man ganz früh das Gefühl, dass einem gleich Cosimo de Medici auf die Schulter tippt und fragt, über was heute denn so abgestimmt werden soll und was das für ein komisches Kästchen ist, was ich da um den Hals habe.
Der Piazza della Signoria in den Morgenstunden — eines meiner absoluten Highlights! Später wird es hier allerdings richtig voll! Besonders vor dem David staut es sich!

The Piazza della Signoria, Florence’s civic center and outdoor sculpture gallery contains many reproductions of famous works of arts like Michelangelo’s David, Benvenuto’s Perseus holding Medusa’s head, Neptune’s fountain and so on.
You can admire works of arts free of cost or grab a seat at a nearby café and just people watch. The Gucci Museo is also nearby if that’s your thing.
Just remember, anywhere there is a flow of tourists, the eateries charge more so it does not hurt to walk a bit more and find much better prices and even better food.

Walking through the Piazza Della Signoria is like a dream in the night time.
Spotlights highlight the building and the replicas of famous sculptures.
The loggia along the side has seating but it is a little too chilly to stay outside.
Instead sit and have a drink at one of the cafes that are around the square.
I am a sucker for chocolate so whichever café can make a good hot chocolate — I am there!
The Gucci museum is new to me. It has a lovely modern café, bookstore and retail area as well. Wow, look at these classic Gucci leather pieces and accessories.
I enjoy the feel of this Piazza since it is less chaotic than others and bigger.
If you have the opportunity, walk through and feast your eyes on the art work.
It will stimulate your mind and certainly uplift your spirits.

Esta plaza tiene mucha historia. Esta enterrado todos los edificios de la época romana y tienen unas marcas en el suelo que los delimitan. Además tienen conexión con grandes edificio es y multitud de esculturas al aire libre.

One of the main sights to visit in Florence. This is the main juncture between the Uffizi gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, before moving towards the Duomo and Piazza della Repubblica. Enjoy the incredible sculpture gallery, Neptune’s fountain, and a reproduction of the David.

c’est magnifique, le Palazzo Vecchio domine la place, les statues vous entourent, vous buvez un verre au café RIvoire, c’est un des plus beaux lieux de la terre.

A gorgeous square in Florence. It’s grand and surrounded by gorgeous buildings, architecture and fountain. A must visit in Florence.

Another popular piazza among tourists! There are so many statues around (check out Neptune’s Fountain and the other David statue!) that are amazing! Each one has such great detail to it. It is also a very wide space that gets PACKED with tourists especially in the smack middle of the day. It can get annoying especially if you’re trying to get somewhere!
There are a good amount of restaurants and cafes around, but don’t be fooled by just walking a few blocks elsewhere and finding cheaper food! They also have the Gucci museum, Uffizi, and the Ponte Vecchio if you’re searching for other attractions nearby.
Come back here at night; the piazza is so much more peaceful, and there’s a guy that sits by the Uffizi side of the piazza that plays music and sings! Many people come out just to enjoy the ambiance here.

Beaucoup de monde sur cette place mais qui né perd pas son charme, il y a des sculptures un peu partout.

Ein absolutes Muss bei einem Florenz-​Trip ist der Besuch der Piazza della Signoria. Wenn man auf den Platz tritt, ist man überwältigt von der künstlerischen Pracht und den Massen von Touristen, obwohl wir nicht in der Hauptsaison unterwegs waren.
Die Piazza liegt im mittelalterlichen Teil der Stadt, in der Nähe der Kathedrale Santa Maria del Fiore und nahe der Brücke Ponte Vecchio am bekannten Fluss Arno.
Ab dem Mittelalter war die Piazza das politische Zentrum von Florenz. Die Signoria nannte man die florentinische Stadtregierung und hatte ihren Sitz im Palazzo della Signoria, der seit der Zeit der Großherzöge der Toskana Palazzo Vecchio heißt und die großartige Piazza dominiert.
Auf dem Piazza della Signoria befindet sich eine Kopie von Michelangelos David. Das Original wird seit 1873 in der Galleria dell’Accademia aufbewahrt. Darüber hinaus kann man den Neptunbrunnen von Ammanati und weitere Werke der Renaissance dort bestaunen.
Der Platz war auch früher ein Ort für öffentliche Hinrichtungen, die bekannteste fand am 23. Mai 1498 statt, als Girolamo Savonarola wegen Ketzerei gehängt und verbrannt wurde. Heute erinnert ein im Boden eingelassenes Schild vor dem Neptunbrunnen an dieses Ereignis.
Auf der rechten Seite des Platzes befindet sich die Loggia dei Lanzi, auch Loggia della Signoria genannt. Hier befinden sich Meisterwerke der Bildhauerkunst, wie der Perseo aus Bronze von Cellini und der Ratto delle Sabine von Gianbologna.
Von diesem Platz aus führt ein Durchgang zum sehenswerten Museum der Uffizien.

Location: Near the Uffizi and Palazzo Vecchio.
This piazza was on my list of places to check out, however I stumbled into it quite by accident one evening while looking for someplace else. I’m SO glad I did! This piazza boasts a wealth of positively stunning marble sculptures that are left outside on display. When I arrived, the light was perfect to take photos and the place wasn’t too busy so I was able to take my time visiting each sculpture and studying them in detail. They are phenomenal! Do note that the statue of David is a replica and not the real thing!
Definitely worth visiting, especially if you’re into photography.

Piazza della Signoria is one of my favorite piazzas in Firenze. The «L» shaped public square was named after Palazzo della Signoria and is the political hub of Firenze. You’ll find swarms of Florentines and tourists in the piazza as well as an array of sculptures, including Michelangelo’s David and Bartolomeo Ammannati’s Fountain of Neptune.
You’ll find these historical buildings surrounding the piazza:
Palazzo Vecchio «Old Palace» — Firenze’s town hall.
Loggia dei Lanzi — An open-​air sculpture gallery of antique and Renaissance art.
Tribunale della Mercanzia — Formerly a courthouse built in the 1300’s. Building was restored in 1905.
Palazzo Uguccioni — A Renaissance palace built for Giovanni Uguccioni.
Palazzo delle Assicurazioni Generali — Commercial building that was designed in the Neo-​Renaissance style in 1871.
If you are visiting Firenze stop by this piazza in-​between tourist sites. It’s a great spot to stop for pictures and it’s free!

Todas las plazas de Florencia tienen su encanto, pero ésta tiene algo que la hace muy especial. Por un lado, en esta plaza está la entrada principal del Palazzo Vecchio, un majestuoso palacio renacentista que alberga un museo con obras de Miguel Ángel, entre otros. Este palacio también es la sede del ayuntamiento de Florencia.
La segunda atracción de esta plaza es la réplica de la estatua del David de Miguel Ángel. La original está en el Museo de la Academia, y está prohibido hacer fotos, así que aunque tengas la paciencia de hacer cola para entrar no podrás tener pruebas gráficas de haber estado allí. Pero a la réplica le puedes hacer tantas fotos como quieras, así que no te olvides de pasar por esta plaza y sacar un buen plano de El David.

The Palazzo Vecchio’s main entrance is approached from a this piazza (plaza) which includes many historic sculptures, including Michaelangelo’s David, as well as Benvenuto Cellini’s Perseus with the Head of Medusa. These are inspiring sculptures that are not to be missed. A replica of David marble sculpture actually stood at the entrance. The Uffizi gallery is in the same vicinity as well. The Fountain of Neptune is also in the L shaped square.
We walked this both in the day and night and every walk was magical. It’s one of the best places to sit outdoors for lunch of pizza with friends. Always a fun and special place to relax and let the time go by while you watch all sort of people walk by.

Truly one of the most wonderful Piazza’s in the world!
I lived two blocks from here for one month a few years ago, and it was like living a dream. I went back with relatives last May, and we had an amazing time. It was a warm day in May. The crowds were gathering around a Clown! Just as we were passing by, the clown picked up a woman and placed her in my brother’s arms! The clown then kissed my brother on both cheeks but rubbed the white makeup all over his cheeks! My sister-​in-​law had a hard job cleaning the makeup off with cvs handwipes! we couldn’t stop laughing for a long time after that!
We ate at il David ristorante at a table outside. The food was scrumptious, and our waiter was so nice to the four of us. While in Milan we discovered Santa Christina wine at our hotel. It ended up being our favorite italian wine, so we ordered it every time we went to every restaurant in every Italian city we visited. It’s very smooth and not acidic at all. We were not surprised they had it at David’s too in Florence.
Walking by Il Duomo, the cathedral, is a dream too and I got very lucky! I saw actor Colin Farrell! walk right by me with who I think was his body guard right behind him.
(During my first trip)
The statues are amazing in this square! as well as the «Imitation David.» But if you see the real David at L’Academia Museum, in a different section of Florence, you’ll be amazed at how large and beautiful it is in person.
The clown was in front of the Uffizi Museum when we had the encounter.
Florence and Venice are incredible if you haven’t been.

10/​29/​2013
This is THE place to go for some good Italian (and international) shopping. It has stores like Chanel, Disney, etc. It’s great for people watching, as there are lots of areas to sit and just socialize/​watch people hustling by…
It’s very close to the Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio.

Maravillosa, inigualable, mágica, romántica… Es la esencia de Florencia en una plaza. Allí se pueden contemplar algunas esculturas clásicas y la copia del David de Miguel Ángel. Todos los días desviaba mi camino para pasar por esta plaza. No se puede explicar, hay que ir!

Italy’s passion about history, art and politics probably result from the likes of Da Vinci, Michelangelo and the Renaissance. Florence captures all of these (and more!) and you can feel it all here at Piazza della Signoria.
A short walk from Ponte Vecchio or Piazza del Duomo, this is a main square in the heart of the city where locals and tourists naturally flock to and for multiple reasons: it’s a gateway to the Uffizi Gallery, visiting the Palazzo Vecchio, looking at the statues at Loggia dei Lanzi (includes the Medici lions), taking pictures in front of the Fountain of Neptune or just hanging out at the several restaurants around the area.
This was also the place where Michelangelo’s David was originally located before he got transferred to the Accademia. There is still a copy that stands outside Palazzo Vecchio, but it doesn’t rival the real thing.
The expansive space is great for strolling about and people watching. Street performers entertain tourists with magic and comedy, definitely a fun place to visit!