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| '''Florence''' is a city of western ] on the ], with a population of around 400,000 (plus a suburban population in excess of 200,000) who know it as ''Firenze''. A centre of medieval European trade and finance, the city is sometimes considered the birthplace of the Italian ]. The capital of the region of ] and briefly (]-]) of the kingdom of Italy, Florence was long ruled (]-], ]-] and and ]-]) by the ] family. | |||
| '''Florence and the Renaissance''' | |||
| The surge in artistic, literary and scientific investigation that occured in Florence in the 14th-16th centuries was precipitated by Florentines' preoccupation with money and with the display of wealth and leisure. Added to this, the crises of the ] church (especially the controversy over the French ] and the ]) along with the dreadfully demoralizing effects of the ] undermined ] values in favour of those of ]. Florence would profit both literaly and culturally from this change in ] | |||
| '''History of Florence''' | |||
| Florence's recorded history began with the establishment in B.C. 59 of a settlement for ] ex-soldiers. The seat of a bishopric from around the beginning of the 4th century A.D., the city experienced subsequent periods of Byzantine, Ostrogothic, Lombard and Frankish rule, during which the population may have fallen to as few as 1,000. | |||
| Reviving from the 10th century and governed from 1115 by an autonomous commune, the city was plunged into internal strife by the 13th-century struggle between the Ghibellines, supporters of the ] emperor, and the pro-] Guelphs, who after their victory split in turn into feuding "white" and "black" factions. | |||
| Political conflict did not, however, prevent the city's rise to become one of the most powerful and prosperous in Europe, assisted by her own strong gold currency, the ] (introduced in ]), the eclipse of her formerly powerful rival ] (defeated by ] in ] and subjugated by Florence in ]), and the exercise of power by the mercantile elite following an anti-aristocratic constitution (]). | |||
| Of a population estimated at 80,000 before the ] of ], 25,000 are said to have been supported by the city's woollen industry: in ] Florence was the scene of an attempted strike by wool combers (<i>ciompi</i>), who in ] rose up in a brief revolt against oligarchic rule. After their suppression, the city came under the sway (]-]) of the ] family, bitter rivals but also precursors of the more powerful Medici. | |||
| The first period of Medici rule ended with the restoration of republican government, influenced until his execution (]) by the teachings of the radical Dominican prior ], whose disdain for worldliness foreshadowed many of the wider religious controversies of the following centuries. A second leader of unusual insight was ], whose prescriptions for Italy's regeneration under strong leadership have often been seen as a legitimisation of political malpractice. Restored twice with the support of both Emperor and Pope, the Medici in 1537 became hereditary dukes of Florence, and in ] grand dukes of ], reigning for two centuries. | |||
| The extinction of the Medici line and the accession in ] of Francis Stephen, duke of Lorraine and husband of Maria Theresa of Austria, led to Tuscany's inclusion in the territories of the ]n crown. Austrian rule was to end in defeat at the hands of France and the kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont in ], and Tuscany became a province of the united kingdom of ] in ] | |||
| Florence replaced Turin as Italy's capital in ], hosting the country's first parliament, but was superseded by ] six years later following the latter's addition to the kingdom. After doubling during the 19th century, Florence's population tripled in the 20th with the growth of tourism, trade, financial services and industry. During ] the city experienced a year-long German occupation (1943-1944). In November 1966 the Arno flooded parts of the centre, damaging many art treasures. | |||
| '''A Tour of Florence''' | |||
| At the heart of the city is the ], which is a masterpiece of marble sculpture at the terminous of a still functioning ] ].The ], which cuts through the old part of the city, is as much a character in Florentine history as many of the men who lived there. Historically, the locals have had a love hate relationship with the Arno -- which alternated from nurishing the city with commerce, and destroying it by flood. Many of the bridges across the Arno were built by the Romans. One of the bridges in particular, however, stands out as being unique -- The ], whose most striking feature is the multitude of shops built on it. First constructed by the ] in ancient times, this bridge is the only one in the city to have survived ] intact. The most famous palace in the city is ], which has become a monument to the ] family who ruled Florence during the ]. This palace contains many priceless works of art created by such men as ] and ]. However, the crowning jewl of Florence is the domed cathedral of the city, known as ] (the magnificent dome was built by ]). | |||
| The city's principal football team is ]. | |||
| ''Notable people from the city'' | |||
| ], ], ], ] | |||
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| /Talk | |||
Revision as of 05:39, 21 January 2002
ICHIGO ICHIGO DORODOROOOOOO