THE HISTORIC CENTRE OF FLORENCE

Acknowledged by UNESCO as Heritage of humankind in 1982, the Historic Centre of Florence, enclosed by a circle of avenues traced out on the medieval city walls, assembles the most important cultural goods of Florence. Encircled by the trace of the wall of the 14th century and built due to commercial and economic power, it reached its highest splendour in the following two centuries. The religious centre of the city is Piazza del Duomo with the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore flanked by the bell tower of Giotto and the Baptistry of San Giovanni with the gates of Paradise by Lorenzo Ghiberti opposite the church. Northward, the Palace Medici-Riccardi by Michelozzo, the Basilica of San Lorenzo by Brunelleschi with the precious sacristies by Donatello and Michelangelo convene; furthermore, the Museum of San Marco, with the masterpieces of Fra Angelico, the Gallery of the Academia which houses besides others the David by Michelangelo, and the Piazza della Santissima Annunziata with the loggia degli Innocenti by Brunelleschi can be found in this zone. From the Dome southward there is the politic-cultural centre of Florence with Palazzo Vecchio and the nearby Gallery degli Uffizi, close to which lies the Museum del Bargello and the Basilica di Santa Croce. Crossing Ponte Vecchio one arrives in the quarter of Oltrarno with the palace of Palazzo Pitti and the garden di Boboli. Still in Oltrarno, one must not forget the Basilica di Santo Spirito by Filippo Brunelleschi and the Basilica del Carmine, with frescoes by Masolino, Masaccio and Filippino Lippi. In the area westward the Dome, rise the impressive Palazzo Strozzi (location for important exhibitions and seat of well-known cultural institutions) and the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella with the facade designed by Leon Battista Alberti. The Historic Centre can be appreciated in its whole from the hills around, especially from Forte Belvedere, Piazzale Michelangelo with the romanic Basilica di San Miniato and from the hill of Fiesole that offers one of the most impressive views of the Arno valley.

Recognition by UNESCO

In 1982, ICOMOS put forward the candidacy of the Historic Centre of Florence as a World Heritage site, justifying it with the following motivations: "this outstanding cultural value should have been inscribed in the first World Heritage List for good reason, and any justification would, therefore, have been inappropriate and superfluous. ICOMOS underlined the fact that the Historic Centre of Florence met every criterion laid down by the Convention." The criteria identified by ICOMOS offer a general summary of the Historic Centre of Florence still effectively representative for the site.
Nevertheless, the necessity can be noted to provide a more detailed description in order to illuminate all those characteristics that have made the Historic Centre of Florence unique; thus, on the occasion of the compilation of the periodic report UNESCO has proposed to enlarge the criteria of ICOMOS for the following recognition of value: The uniqueness of Florence's Historic Centre, described so well by ICOMOS, derives from the authenticity and the integrity of the site which, by means of the continuous effort towards its protection and in carrying out considerable restoration interventions, retains numerous monumental and artistic testimonies of its past.
From the "Roman quadrangle" in the zone of Piazza della Repubblica to the narrow streets of the medieval city, up to the splendours of the sixteenth century royal palace Palazzo Pitti and as far as the transformations of Florence as capital, the whole history of the city can be traced. Furthermore, the concentration of such a rich and prestigious historic-artistic heritage as well as a scientific and naturalistic legacy, in a space so circumscribed and well-delimited like that of the Historic Centre, makes the city of Florence unique and precious, not only in the eyes of the inquiring visitor but also in those of the scholar and citizen.
Extraordinarily beautiful churches, museums and art collections, historical gardens, piazze, streets, antique palaces: Florence may reasonably be defined a "widespread museum"; not a mere container of works of art, but a work of art in its own right. Beyond its monumental aspect, the image of the Historic Centre of Florence lives in the traditional artisan workshops which for centuries have offered a qualitatively high level of production in respect of ancient manufacturing techniques, particularly regarding precious metals such as gold and silver but also in the casting of bronze. Moreover, the centre of the city is animated by numerous historical shops or commercial enterprises that can boast a long tradition of selling various products on the same premises of production.
Florentine craft activities and historical shops bear concrete testimony of the past, guarantee continuity in tradition and allow the image of the ancient city to survive in its multiple aspects. Florence's magnificent centre and surrounding hills, with their colours and fragrances, become the ideal frame for feasts and walks that enable to appreciate the high landscaping value of the city and its territory. All these elements have attracted (and continue to attract) numerous visitors who, ever since the epoch of the Grand Tour, have crossed whole continents to reach Florence, fascinated by the city and its image but also attracted by the delicacies that the local oenological and gastronomic traditions offer. Well-known references are the wine, tasty foods, the links the city has with the surrounding countryside, an area for wine production which is increasingly appreciated also by illustrious guests. However, Florence must absolutely not be considered a city closed in nostalgic contemplation of its past, but rather a city open to innovation and commited to programming its future. Its image over recent decades, especially after the development of activities in the fashion sector, is modified: next to the cultural essence, that of commerce and high society are increasingly present. Florence evokes a unique, refined atmosphere; it is a place you may dedicate to elegant (though costly) shopping. It is the preferential framework in which to present the season's new haute couture collections.
The promotion of activities at a high level permits Florence to renew its image and to grow, also economically speaking, creating new opportunities for young poeple but always remaining in harmony with the past.

Criteria of ICOMOS

ICOMOS (International Council of Monuments and Sites) put forward the candidacy of the Historic Centre of Florence to be inscribed in the World Heritage List, justifying it with the following motivations: Criterion (i) - The urban complex of Florence is in itself a unique artistic realization, a chef-d'oeuvre absolute, the fruit of a continuous creation over more than six centuries.
Leaving aside its museums (the Archaeological Museum, Uffizi Bargello, Pitti, Galleria dell' Academia, etc.), the greatest concentration of universally renowned works of art in the world is found here - the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Baptistery and the Campanile of Giotto, Piazza de la Signoria dominated by the Palazzo Vecchio and the Palazzo Uffizi, San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella, Santa Croce and the Pazzi chapel, the Convent of San Marco which houses paintings of Fra Angelico, Santo Spirito, San Miniato, etc. Criterion (ii) - Since the Quattrocento, Florence has exerted a predominate influence on the development of architecture and the monumental arts - first in Italy, and then throughout Europe: the artistic principles of the Renaissance were defined there from the beginning of the 15th century by Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio.
It was in the Florentine milieu that two universal geniuses of the arts - Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo - were formed and asserted. Criterion (iii) - The historic centre of Florence attests in an exceptional manner, and by its unique coherence, to its power as a merchant-city of the Middle Ages and of the Renaissance. From its past, Florence has preserved entire streets, fortified palaces (Palazzo Spini, Palazzo del Podestà, Palazzo della Signoria), loggie (Loggia del Bigallo, Loggia dei Lanzi, the Loggi degli Innocenti and del Mercato Nuovo), fountains, a marvellous bridge of the 14th century lined with shops, the Ponte Vecchio. Various trades, organized into prosperous arte have left several monuments such as the Or San Michele. Criterion (iv) - Florence, a first-rate economic and political power in Europe from the 14th to the 17th century, was covered during that period with prestigious buildings which translated the munificence of the bankers and the princes: Palazzo Rucellai, Palazzo Strozzi, Palazzo Gondi, Palazzo Riccardi-Medici, Palazzo Pandolfini, Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens - as well as the sacristy of San Lorenzo, the funerary chapel of the Medicis, and the Biblioteca Laurenziana, etc. Criterion (vi) - Florence is materially associated with events of a universal importance. It was in the milieu of the Neo-platonic Academia that the concept of the Renaissance was forged. Florence is the birthplace of modern humanism inspired by Landino, Marsilio Ficino, Pico de la Mirandola, etc