Palazzo Vecchio

You are standing at the very heart of Florence. Palazzo Vecchio, or the Old Palace, has served as the city's center of government for over seven hundred years. When you look at its rugged, fortress-like stone walls, you are seeing a building originally designed in twelve hundred and ninety-nine by the architect Arnolfo di Cambio. He was the same visionary who designed the Duomo and the Church of Santa Croce, effectively molding the face of medieval Florence. This structure was built to protect the city's magistrates during times of political unrest, which is why it looks more like a castle than a traditional government building. Though it started as the seat of the Republic, it later became the sumptuous home of the Medici family before they moved across the river to the Pitti Palace—a move that eventually earned this building the name Old Palace. Take a moment to look up at the clock tower that dominates the skyline before we head inside to uncover the secrets hidden within these thick walls.