Signoria Square

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Signoria Square's sculptures

Piazza della Signoria

The piazza has the appearance of an outdoor sculpture gallery. Ammannati's huge Fountain of Neptune sites beside the Palazzo Vecchio, and on either side of the entrance to the palace are copies of Michelangelo's David and Donatello's Florentine lion, Marzocco. An equestrian statue of Cosimo de' Medici by Giambologna stands towards the center of the piazza. A bronze plaque marks the spot where Savonarola was hanged and burnt at the stake in 1498. The Loggia della Signoria served as a platform for public ceremonies in the 14th century and is now a showcase for sculptures.

Benvenuto Cellini's magnificent statue of Perseus holding the head of Medusa and Giambologna's (Giovanni da Bologna) Rape of the Sabine Women, his final work which is a famous example of Mannerist sculpture are not to be missed.

Palazzo dei Priori, seat of the Signoria, later called Palazzo Vecchio from 1200s. This palace has the appearance of a fortress, topped by a huge open gallery, from which rises the slender tower known as the Arnolfo tower and which repeats in the belfry the design of the top of the palace. After having been the seat the seat of the town authorities, it became the home of the Medici family. It has been the seat of the municipal authority (town hall) since 1872.	The David copy on left, Hercules & Cacus on the right in front of Palazzo dei Priori. This was the original location of The David before it was moved inside to protect it from the weather.	Loggia de' Lanzi (outdoor sculpture garden) Some Italians call this 'the garage' as the statues can look like they are in storage. It is the collection of Alberto della Ragione, donated to the city of Florence in 1970. This important collection of Italian contemporary art includes works well-known painters and sculptors of our time, as for example, Carrà, De Chirico, De Pisis, Guttuso, Morandi, Fontana and Manzù. Benvenuto Cellini's famous "Perseus," Giambologna's marble "Rape of the Sabine Women", and "Hercules with the centaur Nessus," also in marble.
Rape of the Sabine Women at right	Loggia della Signoria
Perseus holding slain Medusa's head	The fountain up from the David is called a waste of marble by Italians since it's near a copy of the David, the most perfectly sculpted marble in the world. In front of the fountain, almost at the centre of the square, a granite disc commemorates the place where Savonarola and his faithful followers, Fra' Domenico and Fra' Silvestro, were hanged and burned (May 23rd, 1498).	The 'waste of marble' Fountain of Neptune ironically called "Biancone" because the remarkable difference between the ugly and heavy central statue of Neptune and the slender figures of the satyrs and nymphs leaning on the waved border of the fountains

After some free time were we visited Sante Croce church, we went to a leather demonstration in one of the old buildings in the plaza.

Leather shop facade	Fashion show of leather coats
D as a leather model	Leather ladies