*Includes pictures
*Includes contemporary accounts of Florence
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
When historians are asked to pick a point in history when Western civilization was transformed and guided down the path to modernity, most of them point to the Renaissance. Indeed, the Renaissance revolutionized art, philosophy, religion, sciences and math, with individuals like Galileo, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Dante, and Petrarch bridging the past and modern society.
Most historians credit the city-state of Florence as the place that started and developed the Italian Renaissance, a process carried out through the patronage and commission of artists during the late 12th century. If Florence is receiving its due credit, much of it belongs to the Medici family, a Florentine dynasty that ruled at the height of the Renaissance. The dynasty held such influence that some of its family members even became Pope. Of all the fields that were advanced during the Renaissance, the period's most famous works were art, with iconic paintings like Leonardo's Mona Lisa and timeless sculptures like Michelangelo's David, so it is fitting that both Leonardo and Michelangelo were at times members of Lorenzo de' Medici's court. The famous leader, who also considered himself an artist and poet, became known for securing commissions for the most famous artists of the age, including the aforementioned legends, Piero and Antonio del Pollaiuolo, Andrea del Verrocchio, Sandro Botticelli and Domenico Ghirlandaio. When Lorenzo de' Medici died in April 1492, he was buried in a chapel designed by Michelangelo.
As a result, Florence remains one of Europe's favorite tourist spots. The Fodors travel guide paints one of the most vividly evocative pictures of the Italian city, telling readers, "Florence's is a subtle beauty - its staid, unprepossessing palaces built in local stone are not showy, even though they are very large. They take on a certain magnificence when day breaks and when the sun sets; their muted colors glow in this light."As a matter of fact, this stunning city, populated by neat, rectangular complexes of Renaissance-style houses with matching clay roofs that seem to glitter under the sunlight, is said to be so beautiful that it inspired the name of a certain disorder. If the stories are to be believed, visitors were so taken by the city's splendor that they fell faint at the sheer sight of it. This disorder has since been dubbed the "Florence syndrome."
Florence: The History and Legacy of the Birthplace of the Renaissance examines the origins of the city, some of the most famous residents, and why Florence ushered in such momentous changes during the Renaissance. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Florence like never before.