The country's second capital city was superseded by Rome six years later, after the withdrawal of the French troops allowed the capture of Rome.

The Florentine is ideally located for those visiting Sheffield, just a 10 minute drive away from the city centre. Indulge in a cosy meal or enjoy a drink out in the sunshine, followed by a relaxing stay in one of our refurbished rooms. Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, without letting the bowl touch the water. Temper the chocolate by breaking half of the chocolate into the bowl. Stir until the chocolate reaches a melting temperature of 53C/127F. Meanwhile, finely chop or grate the remaining chocolate.Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station is the main national and international railway station in Florence and is used by 59million people every year. [123] The building, designed by Giovanni Michelucci, was built in the Italian Rationalism style and it is one of the major rationalist buildings in Italy. It is located in Piazza della Stazione, near the Fortezza da Basso, a masterpiece of the military Renaissance architecture, and the Viali di Circonvallazione, and in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella's apse from which it takes its name. As well as numerous high speed trains to major Italian cities Florence is served by international overnight sleeper services to Munich and Vienna operated by Austrian railways ÖBB. Florence hosted the Great Ecumenical Council in 1439; this council was launched in an attempt to reconcile the Byzantine Eastern Orthodox Church with Roman Catholicism. Pope Eugenius IV convened it in reply to a cry for assistance from the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (also known as the Byzantine Empire) John VIII Palaiologos. John VIII's empire was slowly being devoured by the Ottoman Turks. [25]The council was a huge boost to Florence's international prestige. The council deliberated until July 1439. Both parties had reached a compromise, and the Pope agreed to militarily aid the Byzantine Emperor. However, upon John VIII's homecoming to Constantinople, the Greeks rejected the compromise, leading to riots throughout what remained of the Byzantine Empire. John VIII was forced to repudiate the agreement with the Roman church to appease the rioters. As a result, no Western aid was forthcoming and the Byzantine Empire's fate was sealed. Fourteen years later in 1453, Constantinople fell to the Ottomans. [26]

In 1497, it was the location of the Bonfire of the Vanities instigated by the Dominican friar and preacher Girolamo Savonarola To hold an elective office, one had to be of a family that had previously held office. [48] The Medici family effectively ruled Florence on a hereditary basis, from 1434 to 1494, and 1512–1527.Melt the dark chocolate in a small bowl in 10 second intervals in the microwave. Stir well between each time then, when two thirds melted, continue stirring (no more heating) until completely melted. Covenant Worldwide – Ancient & Medieval Church History". Archived from the original on 17 May 2008 . Retrieved 1 August 2008. After Alessandro de' Medici was installed as the "Duke of the Florentine Republic" in 1530, in April 1532, Pope Clement VII convinced the Balía, Florence's ruling commission, to draw up a new constitution, which formally created a hereditary monarchy. It abolished the age-old signoria (elective government) and the office of gonfaloniere (titular head-of-state elected for a two-month term) and replaced it with three institutions: The Hunt by Night’ (ca. 1465-70) by Paolo di Dono, called Uccello. Photo: Ashmolean Museum/Bridgeman Images

Attractions in San Gimignano, Italy". Lonely Planet. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020 . Retrieved 16 April 2020. Another Florentine of this period was Niccolò Machiavelli, whose prescriptions for Florence's regeneration under strong leadership have often been seen as a legitimization of political expediency and even malpractice. Machiavelli was a political thinker, renowned for his political handbook The Prince, which is about ruling and exercising power. Commissioned by the Medici, Machiavelli also wrote the Florentine Histories, the history of the city. Enjoy a restful night’s sleep in one of our en-suite rooms, which include high-speed WiFi, TV's and tea/coffee making facilities. Sleep soundly in a king-size Hypnos bed, on the Beaumont mattress, which is filled with a wool-silk mix and has a surface which regulates your body’s temperature. In November 1966, the Arno flooded parts of the centre, damaging many art treasures. Around the city there are tiny placards on the walls noting where the flood waters reached at their highest point. In an effort to reduce air pollution and car traffic in the city, a multi-line tram network called Tramvia is under construction. The first line began operation on 14 February 2010 and connects Florence's primary intercity railway station ( Santa Maria Novella) with the southwestern suburb of Scandicci. This line is 7.4km ( 4 + 5⁄ 8mi) long and has 14 stops. The construction of a second line began on 5 November 2011, construction was stopped due to contractors' difficulties and restarted in 2014 with the new line opening on 11 February 2019. This second line connects Florence's airport with the city centre. A third line (from Santa Maria Novella to the Careggi area, where the most important hospitals of Florence are located) is also under construction. [119] [120] [121] [ circular reference] Florence public transport statistics [ edit ]In 1548, Cosimo was given a part of the Island of Elba by Charles V, and based his new developing navy there. [62] Cosimo founded the port city of Livorno and allowed the city's inhabitants to enjoy freedom of religion. In alliance with Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, Cosimo defeated the Republic of Siena, which was allied with France, in the Battle of Marciano on 2 August 1554. [63] On 17 April 1555, Florence and Spain occupied the territory of Siena, which, in July 1557 Philip II of Spain bestowed on Cosimo as a hereditary fiefdom. [63] The ducal family moved into the Palazzo Pitti in 1560. Cosimo commissioned the architect Vasari to build the Uffizi, as offices for the Medici bank, continuing the Medici tradition of patronage of the arts. The war with Avignon papacy strained the regime. In 1378 discontented wool workers revolted. The Ciompi revolt, as it is known, established a revolutionary commune. In 1382 the wealthier classes crushed the seeds of rebellion. [15] Main articles: Republic of Florence and Italian Renaissance Rise of the Medici [ edit ] Leonardo da Vinci statue outside the Uffizi Gallery Margrave Hugo chose Florence as his residency instead of Lucca around 1000AD. The Golden Age of Florentine art began around this time. In 1100, Florence was a " commune", meaning a city-state. The city's primary resource was the Arno river, providing power and access for the industry (mainly textile industry), and access to the Mediterranean sea for international trade, helping the growth of an industrious merchant community. The Florentine merchant banking skills became recognised in Europe after they brought decisive financial innovation (e.g. bills of exchange, [21] double-entry bookkeeping system) to medieval fairs. This period also saw the eclipse of Florence's formerly powerful rival Pisa. [22] The growing power of the merchant elite culminated in an anti-aristocratic uprising, led by Giano della Bella, resulting in the Ordinances of Justice [23] which entrenched the power of the elite guilds until the end of the Republic. The ideas that broke this mold began, and continued to flourish, in the city of Florence in northern central Italy. These ideas, which placed an increasing emphasis on the development of our common humanity—rather than other-worldly spirituality—coalesced in what came to be known as humanism. This philosophy and its new ideas would eventually spread across Italy, yet wherever they took hold they would retain an element essential to their origin. And as they spread further across Europe, this element would remain.