Vecchio Palace and Piazza della Signoria

An unmistakable symbol of Florence, Palazzo Vecchio has served as the seat of the city's government since the very beginning. Construction began in 1299, and ever since, the palace has dominated Piazza della Signoria, Florence's most important—and perhaps most beautiful—historic square.In the 16th century, Cosimo I de' Medici chose the palace as his residence before eventually moving his court to Palazzo Pitti, which is how the building earned its current name: the "Old Palace." Don't let the name fool you, though. Palazzo Vecchio never lost its political role, while carefully preserving the lavish apartments and decorations associated with Medici power. Even today, it remains both a museum and the heart of Florence's civic life.Just beside it stands the Loggia dei Lanzi, an open-air sculpture gallery, as well as the famous Fountain of Neptune. If you look closely at the sea god's face, you may notice that it bears a striking resemblance to Cosimo I himself. And in case the Medici presence wasn't already obvious enough, an equestrian statue of the duke was added nearby a few decades later. In Florence, the Medici really are everywhere.