Piazza della Signoria

Piazza della Signoria is best known as site of 14th-century Palazzo Vecchio, the crenellated fortresslike city hall and museum that anchors one side of the L-shaped square and was once seat of the Florentine Republic. The square is also home to the sculpture collection housed under the open-air Loggia dei Lanzi, the 16th-century Fountain of Neptune, a replica of Michelangelo’sDavid where the original once stood, and a number of important Renaissance palaces. The Uffizi Gallery is just off the square.

A stroll through Piazza della Signoria is one of the highlights of Florence walking tours and sightseeing tours by Segway or bike. Most private and small-group tours also include skip-the-line tickets to top attractions including the Duomo, the Uffizi, and Accademia Gallery. Kid-friendly Florence tours stop in Piazza della Signoria, and food tours pair a visit with beer, wine, or gelato tastings.

• Piazza della Signoria is lined with restaurants and bars, including the historic Café Rivoire, perfect for a snack or drink.

• The square is flat and paved, easy to navigate with wheelchairs or strollers.

• Wear a hat and sunscreen if visiting in summer, as the square has little shade.

• Be sure to bring your camera to Piazza della Signoria, as it is one of the most picturesque spots in central Florence.

Piazza della Signoria marks the heart of Florence’s historical center and is a short walk from the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and Santa Maria Novella train station.

Florence is one of the most popular destinations in Italy for day trips and shore excursions, and Piazza della Signoria is particularly hot and crowded in summer. Visit in spring or fall to enjoy the square with cooler temperatures and fewer tourists. A number of important historical and religious processions pass through the square each year, including the Cavalcade of the Three Kings on January 6 and the Carnival parade in February.

Piazza della Signoria was the site of the 1497 bonfire of the vanities, a Catholic reformist uprising led by the Dominican monk Savonarola who preached against the excesses of secular culture and urged his followers to burn works of art and literature. After defying Pope Alexander VI, Savonarola was hanged in the square, and today there is a plaque marking the spot of his execution.

Piazza della Signoria has been the center of Florentine civic life since the beginning of the Renaissance. The square is home to the fortress-like Palazzo Vecchio city hall, and Florence’s most important political events have played out here for the past 500 years.

The headliner in Piazza della Signoria is Palazzo Vecchio, home to the municipal government since the 15th century. A copy of Michelangelo’s David statue sits just outside, flanked by the Loggia dei Lanzi open-air sculpture gallery and the monumental Fountain of Neptune.

No, this public square is accessible without tickets—though visitors do need to purchase tickets to enter Palazzo Vecchio and take in its ornately decorated interiors. You can also admire the Loggia dei Lanzi, Fountain of Neptune, and David replica free of charge.

The most famous statue in Piazza della Signoria is the replica of Michelangelo’s David—the original is housed in the Accademia Gallery. Other sculptures of note include the 16th-century Fountain of Neptune, plus Cellini’s Perseus and the Rape of the Sabines by Giambologna in the Loggia dei Lanzi.

This square is full of historic Easter eggs. The face of Neptune atop the fountain is a portrait of Cosimo de’ Medici, while the profile etched into Palazzo Vecchio’s facade is said to be the work of Michelangelo. A plaque in the center of the square marks where Savanarola lit his Bonfire of the Vanities—and where the friar was later executed.

While Piazza del Duomo marks the center of religious life in Florence, Piazza della Signoria is the hub of the city’s political and social life. This venerable square is home to the most significant civic building in the city, and many historic Florentine events and festivals are held here each year.