Spotlight on Florence

The city of Florence eats, sleeps and breathes art. Examples of man's artistic genius stand on nearly every street. Dozens of museums and art shops wait to be explored. Florence, Italy, is an art lover's paradise. 　
Michelangelo was the greatest of Florence's artists. Visitors line up for hours at the Accademia museum for a look at his impressive David. This 14-foot-high statue has become the ideal human figure of the Renaissance. David is an example of Michelangelo's talent for sculpting people simply, yet powerfully.　
More of Michelangelo's work can be seen in the great Palazzo Vecchio. This building housed the Florentine government from 1299-1322. Paintings and carvings of famous Italian artists fill the palace rooms. Michelangelo helped decorate the outside, too. He chiseled a head into the palace wall. A story says that to win a bet, Michelangelo carved the head with his hands behind his back, facing away from the wall. 　　 
Not far from the Palazzo Vecchio lies Florence's Cathedral Square. The beautiful domed Duomo, or "House of God," took nearly 150 years to build (1294-1436). One of the most famous engineers of the day designed it. Visitors still marvel at the dome, the crowning feature of the cathedral. To this day, no building in Florence may rise above the dome.
Nearby stands the Cathedral Works Museum. The building once housed the offices of the men who commissioned art for the cathedral. Today it contains sculptures that used to decorate the outside of the cathedral.
A short walk through the narrow streets of Florence brings visitors to the famous Uffizi Gallery. This building dates from 1560 and used to be an office building. (Uffici means office in Italian.) Today it boasts an outstanding art collection. Visitors should be sure to wear comfortable shoes, as exploring the gallery takes many hours. Some of the most famous works in the collection include Botticelli's Primavera and Birth of Venus. 
Even visitors tired of art won't want to miss the Pitti Palace. Once home to Florence's powerful Medici family, the grand palace now houses three museums.
Filled with priceless art, the numerous rooms glitter with gold decorations. For a breath of fresh air, wander among the statues and fountains of the palace gardens. They are some of the grandest gardens in Italy. Besides filling the gardens with sculptures and fountains, the Medici experimented with growing potatoes and pineapples here.
After exiting the Pitti, a right turn brings visitors to one of Florence's famous outdoor sights, the Ponte Vecchio. This bridge over the Arno River has been lined with jewelry shops and goldsmiths since 1593. Those interested in purchasing a few modern treasures may want to shop here. The quality of the craftsmanship is very high-but so are the prices.
To get a feel of modern Florence, join the evening promenade. This traditional feature of Italian life begins around 6 p.m. when everyone gets off work. People stroll down the streets of central Florence to do last-minute shopping or just chat with friends. Be sure to stroll past Perche Noi, home of the oldest and best ice cream in the city. 
Florence has given the world many great art treasures. Some stand in gardens and squares. Others line the walls of beautiful palaces. Still others are the palaces themselves. For art lovers, Florence is indeed paradise.