Gardens & Parks

the bronze replicas of the four allegories of the San Lorenzo Medici Chapels, and the imposing David, the original statue being kept at the Accademia Gallery. 23 PIAZZA SANTA CROCE

It owes its name to the basilica, one of Italy’s largest Franciscan churches. Located in front of the basilica is the monument to Dante Alighieri by Enrico Pazzi.

Rose Garden

24 PIAZZA SANTO SPIRITO

Crowded with market stalls, tourists and art students during the day, Piazza Santo Spirito is one of the focal points of the city’s nightlife. Standing on one side of the piazza is the monument to Cosimo Ridolfi. 27 PIAZZA DEL CARMINE

This square was built to al-

Horticulture Garden Bardini Garden low the crowds to hear the sermons preached by the Carmelites, who owned the Basilica of Santa Maria del Carmine facing the piazza. 43 PIAZZA SAN FIRENZE

The square was named after the complex of San Filippo Neri, also known as San Firenze due to the mispronouncing of the name of a pre-existing building dedicated to San Fiorenzo. 44 TOWER OF SAN NICCOLÒ

The name derives from the nearby neighborhood of San Niccolò, and it was built in 1324 probably to the design of Orcagna, while the last circle of walls was being erected. It is the only Florentine gate which has preserved its original height.

aperturaGARDENS & PARKS

45 BOBOLI GARDENS

The Boboli Gardens spreads out at the back of Palazzo Pitti. The Medici family planned the garden’s layout by creating the model for the Italian garden. An open-air museum, filled with statues, grottos (including the one designed by Buontalenti) and large fountains, such as the Neptune and Ocean fountains. Piazza de’ Pitti, 1 ph. +39 055 294883 uffizi.it

Closed on the first and last Monday of the month, except from June to October 46 BARDINI GARDEN

On one side the beautiful Baroque staircase, the English wood and the agricultural park where a wonderful wisteria pergola blooms in spring; on the other, the villa built in the 1600s by architect Gherardo Silvani, also called Villa Belvedere because of its wonderful panoramic position, and later enlarged by Stefano Bardini. Via dei Bardi, 1r and Costa San Giorgio, 2 ph. +39 055 2638599 +39 055 2346988 villabardini.it Villa closed on Mondays, garden closed on the first and last Monday of the month 47 ROSE GARDEN

Located beneath Piazzale Michelangelo, the Rose Garden features over 350 varieties of roses which bloom from May to June and 12 sculptures by Belgian architect Jean-Michel Folon. Viale Giuseppe Poggi, 2

Bardini Garden

48 IRIS GARDEN

Established in 1954 for the purpose of housing the annual International Flower Show for the best iris varieties. Via Bolognese, 17 ph. +39 055 483112 societaitalianairis.com Open only in May 49 HORTICULTURE GARDEN

A nineteenth-century garden, the home to national floriculture shows, with a Renaissance loggia and an Art-Nouveau tepidarium. The highest point is accessed from Via Trento through the Orti del Parnaso, also called “del Dragone” because of the odd dragon-shaped fountain winding up the staircase. Via Vittorio Emanuele II

50 CASCINE PARK

Established as a Medicean farm in 1563 by Cosimo I, with the Lorraine family the Cascine Park became a place of entertainment and Sunday outings. Do not miss the equestrian statue to Vittorio Emanuele II, the Pegasus Column, the Pyramid and the Indian Monument. Piazzale delle Cascine 51 MEDICEAN PARK OF PRATOLINO

Villa Demidoff was demolished in 1822, while the park still remains open to visitors

Boboli Gardens

Cascine Park