Piazzale Michelangelo
Florence
Piazzale Michelangelo is the most famous panoramic terrace in Florence. Set on a hill in the Oltrarno, it offers an unmatched view of the city: Brunelleschi's dome, Palazzo Vecchio, the bridges over the Arno and the Tuscan hills in the background. It is the perfect place to watch the sunset over the Tuscan capital.
The story of the piazzale
Piazzale Michelangelo was built from 1869 to a design by the architect Giuseppe Poggi, as part of the great urban redevelopment of Florence when it became the capital of Italy. The piazzale was conceived as a panoramic terrace and dedicated to the great artist Michelangelo Buonarroti, with bronze copies of some of his famous works.
The monument to Michelangelo
In the centre of the piazzale rises a pedestal bearing bronze reproductions of Michelangelo's sculptures: a copy of the David and the four allegories of Day, Night, Dawn and Dusk, whose marble originals are in the Medici Chapels of the Basilica of San Lorenzo. The bronze gives the figures a dark tone that sets them apart from the originals.
The view
The real attraction is the panorama: from the terrace you take in the whole historic centre of Florence at a glance. You can pick out the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto's bell tower, the tower of Palazzo Vecchio, the bridges over the Arno with the Ponte Vecchio and, in the distance, the gentle Tuscan hills. A little higher up stands the Romanesque church of San Miniato al Monte, also well worth a visit.
Visiting Piazzale Michelangelo
You can reach the piazzale on foot by climbing the Poggi ramps from Piazza Poggi, or by bus. The best time to visit is late afternoon, when the setting sun turns the city gold. An unmissable stop on the treasure map for anyone who wants to take in Florence in a single glance.
