Virtual tour panorama showing Piazza della Signoria in Florence. This has to be one of the most famous and visited squares in Florence, full of amazing statues and home to Michael Angelo's 'David', and no doubt one of the cities top tourist attractions.

Piazza della Signoria - Florence visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Piazza della Signoria' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Tuscany.

Piazza della Signoria is one of the most important squares in Florence and a popular tourist attraction. It is surrounded by palaces, museums and other important civic buildings and full of important works of art, prime of which is the statue of 'David' by Michelangelo.

Piazza della Signoria is an L-shaped square. It was created in the 13th and 14th centuries by the Guelphs. For many years the Guelphs, who supported the Pope, had been in conflict with the Ghibellines, who supported the German Holy Roman Emperor. In 1289 the Guelphs eventually defeated the Ghibellines and then proceeded to destroy the tower-houses of the Uberti, Foraboschi and other powerful Ghibelline families, thus creating the shape of the square.

Named after the Signoria ruling family in Florence, Piazza della Signoria quickly became the civic center of the city, focused around the Palazzo Vecchio on the south-east corner. Excavations in the 1980's revealed that beneath the square are remains of habitation dating back to the Bronze Age.

Today, Piazza della Signoria is an important outdoor museum, full of statues and an important tourist attraction. It also contains two memorials, near the Fountain of Neptune is a granite disk marking the site of the execution of Savonarola, the priest of San Marco Church, and his companions Buonvicini and Malruffi. Near this is an equestrian statue by Giambologna (1594) of Cosimo I who was elevated to Grand Duke of Tuscany by Pope Pius V in 1569. Naturally it is surrounded by cafes, restaurants and hotels.

Piazza della Signoria - Attractions

Piazza della Signoria contains many attractions, mostly statues, and is leads to several important museums.

• Palazzo Vecchio - the massive Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace which was the city hall. Originally known as the 'Palazzo della Signoria', it is now a tourist attraction with state rooms and museum.
• Loggia dei Lanzi - deep bay fronted by 3 arches, forming an open air museum full of statues:
• Perseus - bronze by Benvenuto Cellini showing Perseus holding the severed head of Medusa with bronzes of Jupiter, Mercurius, Minerva and Danaë around the base.
• Rape of the Sabine Women - carved from white marble by Flemish artist Jean de Boulogne (Giambologna).
• Menelaus supporting the body of Patroclus - ancient Roman sculpture cluster discovered in, and transported from, Rome.
• The Rape of Polyxena - diagonal sculpture by Pio Fedi from 1865.
• 5 Roman Statues - from the Trajan and Hadrian era lining the back wall of the Loggia.
• Four Trefoils - representing Fortitude, Temperance, Justice and Prudence by Agnolo Gaddi adorn the façade.
• Tribunale della Mercanzia - former merchants court.
• Palazzo Uguccioni - built by Raffaello or Michelangelo in the 16th century for Giovanni Uguccioni.
• Fountain of Neptune - by Bartolomeo Ammannati (1575)
• David - copy of Michelangelo's David stands next to the entrance to Palazzo Vecchio.
• Cosimo I - bronze equestrian statue by by Giambologna (1594).
• Judith and Holofernes - copy of the statue made by Donatello (1460).
• Hercules and Cacus - 5m high statue by Baccio Bandinelli (1525–1534).

Piazza della Signoria
50122 Firenze, Italy

Bus: Condotta (C1, C2)
Walk: Piazza della Signoria is 500m north of Ponte Vecchio and 500m south of Florence Cathedral