Palazzo Vecchio

Palazzo Vecchio has anchored the Piazza della Signoria since the late thirteenth century, when Arnolfo di Cambio designed its fortress-like facade and the soaring crenellated tower that still dominates the Florence skyline. Built as the seat of the Florentine Republic, the palace later became the residence of Cosimo I de' Medici before the ducal court moved to the Pitti Palace, and it has served as Florence's town hall ever since. Inside, Giorgio Vasari's frescoed Salone dei Cinquecento remains one of the grandest civic rooms in Italy, commissioned to celebrate Florentine military victories on a monumental scale.

Visitors today can explore the palace through a range of ticketed experiences, including entry with an audio guide, skip-the-line guided tours, and the popular Secret Passages tour, which reveals the hidden corridors and private rooms concealed within the building's thick walls. The Arnolfo Tower offers a panoramic climb above the rooftops of the historic centre. The Florence Medici Pass combines the palace with other key sites across the city.