Florence
Birthplace of the Renaissance and capital of Tuscany.
Florence is the capital and most populous city of the Italian region of Tuscany, and, as of 2026, with a population of 361,625, the 8th most populous city in the country. It is also the capital of the eponymous metropolitan province, which counts 988,494 inhabitants, while Eurostat estimates that 696,767 people live in the urban area of Florence. The Metropolitan Area of Florence, Prato and Pistoia, constituted in 2000 over an area of roughly , is home to 1.5 million people.
- Region
- Tuscany, Italy
- River
- Arno
- Founded
- Roman Colony (Florentia)
- UNESCO Status
- Historic Centre World Heritage Site
- Language
- Italian (Standard based on Florentine dialect)
- Key Patronage
- Medici Family
Lore & Background
Florence was a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of that era. It is considered by many academics to have been the birthplace of the Renaissance. Its turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865 to 1871 the city served as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. The Florentine dialect forms the base of standard Italian.
In Their Own Story
The sun dips low behind the hills of Fiesole, casting long shadows across the Ponte Vecchio. Tourists fade into the background as the goldsmiths close their shutters for the evening. A lone violinist plays near the Duomo, his melody drifting over the Arno River where swans glide silently on dark water. The air smells of roasted chestnuts and old stone. Here, time does not move in seconds but in centuries, each brick holding the weight of a legacy that shaped the modern world.
Reader's Guide
Located about northwest of Rome, Florence attracts millions of tourists each year. UNESCO declared the Historic Centre of Florence a World Heritage Site in 1982. The city is noted for its culture, Renaissance art and architecture and monuments. It also contains numerous museums and art galleries, such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Palazzo Pitti. Florence plays an important role in Italian fashion and is a major national economic centre, as well as a tourist and industrial hub.
Did You Know?
- Florence was founded as a Roman garrison in 59 BC.
- The city was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.
- From 1865 to 1871 Florence served as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
- The Florentine dialect forms the base of standard Italian.
Elsewhere in the City Atlas universe
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