Via de' Tornabuoni
Via Tornabuoni is an elegant street in the historic center of Florence located between Piazza Antinori and Piazza Santa Trinita. It has been one of the most luxurious and refined streets of Florence since the Renaissance times as testified by the presence of numerous noble palaces. Today the street houses numerous boutiques of high fashion brands such as Gucci, Ferragamo, Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, Emilio Pucci and of world renowned jewelers such as Damiani and Bulgari.
Starting from Piazza Antinori, a few minutes walk from the central station, you will find Palazzo Antinori and the Church of Santi Michele e Gaetano, one of the most important examples of the Baroque style in the city.
Not far away is Palazzo Tornabuoni for which the whole street is named. The building belonged to the Tornabuoni family, related to the Medicis and, like them, remembered for being bankers, art patrons and great collectors.
Continuing along the road, in addition to the prestigious shops, there are numerous elegant palaces such as Palazzo Strozzi, a typical example of a Renaissance residence. It was commissioned by the progenitor of the family, Filippo Strozzi, who wished to build a larger and more imposing building than the Medici’s (the Palazzo Medici Riccardi), their bitter enemies.
On the opposite side of Via Tornabuoni, there is Piazza Santa Trinita, easily recognizable by the column in the center of the square called the Colonna della Giustizia. The column is flanked on all sides by three large elegant palaces: Palazzo Spini Feroni, a fourteenth-century palace and now home to the Maison Ferragamo; Palazzo Bartolini Salimbeni, Mannerist style masterpiece by Baccio d'Agnolo; and Palazzo Buondelmonti, another example of Renaissance architecture.
The square takes its name from the Church of Santa Trinita, a small but important Florentine church which inside presents a cycle of frescoes by Domenico del Ghirlandaio, the same artist of the frescoes in the Church of Santa Maria Novella which celebrate the Tornabuoni family.
Not far from the square is the Ponte Santa Trinita bridge where you can enjoy a panorama of the Florentine Lungarni and take beautiful photos of the Ponte Vecchio. Crossing the bridge we arrive in the Oltrarno area characterized by its colorful streets and from which it is possible to reach Palazzo Pitti and the Church of Santo Spirito in just a few minutes.
20 minutes
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Admission Ticket Free