Palazzo Vecchio: the history and what to see
Whether you’re longing to visit Florence, planning your upcoming trip, or already roaming the town and seeing the sights, there’s one landmark I strongly suggest you factor into your visit schedule. It’s Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s town hall, an amazing building that dates way back to the early Middle Ages.
Where is Palazzo Vecchio in Florence
You won’t have any problem locating Palazzo Vecchio: it rises in one of Florence’s most beautiful squares, Piazza della Signoria, at just a 5-minute walk from the Duomo and “around the corner” from the Ponte Vecchio. The Palazzo’s right-hand side is virtually adjacent to the Uffizi Gallery.
Palazzo Vecchio, the “old palace”
Palazzo Vecchio translates as “old palace”, but there’s hardly anything old about it. If you stand in the square and observe it from afar you’re bound to be charmed by its stately understated elegance, colorful coats of arms, and graceful tower. Its name comes from its history, and the history of the ruling family of Florence, the Medici. Originally called Palazzo dei Priori, then Palazzo della Signoria, the palace obtained its current name when the Medici moved their residence to Palazzo Pitti: hence Pitti was the “new” palace, and the former one the “old”.
When was the Palazzo built?
Palazzo Vecchio dates back to the second half of the 13th century and was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio. Construction started in 1299, and the palace became the seat of Florence’s government as early as 1302. Arnolfo died that very same year, but other skilled builders and architects continued his wonderful project, and Palazzo Vecchio and its tower were finally completed in 1314.
The Arnolfo tower
Palazzo Vecchio’s 95-meter tower, known by all as the Arnolfo tower, is undoubtedly one of the palace’s most emblematic and beautiful features. Built around 1310, when the rest of the Palazzo was already almost finished, it is a slender, refined, one-of-a-kind architectural masterpiece. You can see what makes it special by looking at it closely: rising right on the façade it rests only slightly on the walls below, the rest is “in falso”, i.e. it just juts straight out of the masonry!
A fortress with breathtaking frescoes inside
From the outside, Palazzo Vecchio looks somewhat like an ancient fortress building, with its crenellations, coats of arms, and neo-Gothic windows. Inside it is just as majestic and boasts an impressive range of incredible art, among which sensational frescoes. The amazing frescoes painted by Giorgio Vasari that enhance the palace’s largest and most sumptuous hall, the Hall of the 500, are breathtaking.
Palazzo Vecchio tour
There are countless fascinating things to see inside Palazzo Vecchio besides the Hall of the 500, and you can even visit the tower and battlements, which offer great views of the city below. Plus, there’s Dante’s death mask, which has become incredibly renowned since Dan Brown used it on the cover of his book.
Dante’s death mask
The world-famous Dante mask is on display in a small corridor between Eleonora’s Apartments, once the abode of Cosimo I de’ Medici’s wife and children, and the Halls of the Priors. As of today, viewing of this part of the palace is included in the Palazzo Vecchio Museum visit, and in several of the guided tours.
Best ways to tour Palazzo Vecchio
You can visit Palazzo Vecchio on your own or take a guided tour. In my opinion, the Palazzo Vecchio tours planned and handled by MUS.E, the association that manages Florence’s Civic Museums (“Musei Civici”), are especially interesting and well-designed because they’re themed along particular aspects, such as “Life at Court”, Giorgio Vasari and his role in decorating it, etc. I took the “Life at Court” tour, it was a great opportunity to discover the palace’s halls and learn about the Medici from an “everyday-life” viewpoint!
Palazzo Vecchio ticket
If you’re planning to see Palazzo Vecchio on your own, you can easily buy your ticket on the MUS.E official website. Current prices for Palazzo Vecchio tickets are:
- €12.50 Regular ticket for the Museum
- €10.00 Reduced Price (18-25 y.o.) for the Museum
- €12.50 Regular ticket for the tower and battlements
- €10.00 Reduced Price (18-25 y.o.) for the Museum
Visitors under 18 y.o. can access free of charge
Palazzo Vecchio entrance fees inclusive of one of the guided tours handled by MUS.E have the same price as above plus €5.00 per person to be added.
Palazzo Vecchio opening hours
You can find the opening hours for the Palazzo Vecchio Museum, tower, and battlements following below, but do keep in mind that the palace is also Florence’s town hall, which means the premises may be closed in case of official events (a visit from foreign statesmen, for instance). So make sure you check the official website before planning your visit.
Palazzo Vecchio opening hours, May through September
MON 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
TUE 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
WED 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
THU 9.00 am – 2.00 pm
FRI 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
SAT 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
SUN 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
Palazzo Vecchio opening hours, October through April
MON 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
TUE 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
WED 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
THU 9.00 am – 2.00 pm
FRI 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
SAT 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
SUN 9.00 am – 7.00 pm
Palazzo Vecchio is always closed on Christmas Day (December 25).
