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Florence was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Politically, economically, and culturally it was the most important city in Europe for around 250 years; from some time before 1300 until the early 1500s. Florentines reinvented money in the form of the gold florin. This currency was the engine that drove Europe out of the \"Dark Ages\" a term invented by Petrarch, a Florentine whose family had been exiled to Arezzo. They financed the development of industry all over Europe, from Britain to Bruges, to Lyon, to Hungary. They financed the English kings during the Hundred Years War. They financed the papacy, including the construction of the papal palace in Avignon and the reconstruction of St. Peters and the Vatican when the papacy returned to Rome from the \"Babylonian captivity\".

Florence Major Tourist Attractions

• Santa Maria del Fiore

  
  Dominating the panoramic view of Florence is the Santa Maria del Fiore, the domed cathedral that is often called the Duomo. Known today as the world’s largest masonry dome, this majestic cathedral...

• Ponte Vecchio

  
  Spanning the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio is one of Florence’s oldest and most photographed bridges. Noted for its three segmented arches, the bridge was first built by the Etruscans and later...

• Palazzo Vecchio

  
  One of Florence’s most significant buildings is the Palazzo Vecchio, a grand palace overlooking the Piazza della Signoria. Built in the 12th century, the Palazzo Vecchio housed the powerful Medici...