Florence, Italy, city of
Florence, Italy, city of
(Italian: Firenze)
City and former state of Italy . It was a flourishing municipium under Caesar; its first bishop was probably Saint Frontinus, disciple of Saint Peter. Municipal freedom began in 1155 and continued to develop despite Guelph and Ghibelline struggles from 1215 , constant papal interference, and the rule of the Medici which commenced in 1434 . The city was alternately a republic or an autocracy. In 1330 the authority of Florence was acknowledged by 46 towns. In 1530 the Medici gained absolute power which lasted until 1737 . The city was the seat of the Seventeenth AEcumenical Council (1438 -1445 ), the home of many saints (Catherine de’ Ricci , Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, Philip Neri), and the birthplace of Dante , Giotto, Fra Angelico , Donatello , and of six popes . The Duomo or cathedral , dating from 1296 , the Campanile begun by Giotto, the 7th-century church of San Giovanni and many other churches containing frescoes by Fra Lippo Lippi, Fra Angelico , Giotto, della Robbia, Ghirlandajo, Donatello , Ghiberti, Masaccio, Masolino, and others are of interest.