Piazzale Michelangelo Florence

Visit Michelangelo square with the best view of Florence (Firenze)

On top of a hill in Florence (Firenze), Piazzale Michelangelo square has some replicas of Michelangelo statues. This is the place for the best view of Florence Italy.

Panoramic view of the Piazzale Michelangelo

The Piazzale Michelangelo is an 1860 square by Giuseppe Poggi and is full of replicas of Michelangelo statues, including a second copy of the David (the original is in the Accademia Gallery). The Piazza is located on a hill, giving you a beautiful 360 degree view of Florence and the surrounding area. Take photos of the winding river Arno, the Ponte Vecchio, the Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery, the Santa Croce basilica and of course the Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo) and enjoy the view over the Florentine skyline and the Tuscan hills.

The sights on the piazzale

At the center of the Piazzale Michelangelo is a memorial to Michelangelo, consisting of the David surrounded by four statues that were to be officially placed on the tomb of Lorenzo and Giuliano de Medici. A loggia has been built behind the statue, where Poggi actually wanted to display all of Michelangelo's sculptures. This never happened and nowadays there is a restaurant in the loggia.

^{The cozy Piazzale Michelangelo in Firenze}

^{Piazza Michelangelo, best viewpoint of Florence Italy}

How to reach the square?

Since the Piazza Michelangelo Firenze is located on a hill, it is quite a steep climb. However, you don't have to get bored on the road. You are sure to encounter a high watchtower, the Porta San Niccolò, which once formed a gate in the defensive walls of Florence. Arnolfo di Cambio designed the gate and defensive walls in 1324, but in the nineteenth century much of the defensive walls were demolished due to urban renewal. The tower was spared, as it gave a beautiful view of the city. The tower can be climbed and has only 160 steps to the top.

^{The monument in honor of Michelangelo}

^{Folon el i Giardino delle Rose, the rose garden}

Giardino delle Rose (rose garden)

Another attraction hat you will encounter on the way to Piazzale Michelangelo is the Giardino delle Rose or the rose garden park. The Giardino also offers a magnificent view of the city, as the rose garden is located on the slope of the hill on which the Piazzale is located. Poggi also designed this garden park for the city Florence, as it had become the capital of Italy in 1865. Attilio Pucci turned it into rose gardens for the first time around 1895, when the park was also opened to the public. Today, the rose garden park also houses a Japanese garden and the statues of the Flemish sculptor Folon, donated to Florence by his widow.

San Miniato al Monte

From all over Firenze, the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte can be seen on top of the hill. From Piazzale Michelangelo this is no more than an eight minute walk up the hill. More info in the extensive article about the church.

More San Miniato al Monte

Where is Piazza Michelangelo located in Florence?