Florence and Pisa i Livorno port private tour

Located in the central Italian region of Tuscany, Florence is one of the most breathtaking cities in Europe. Celebrated as the cradle of the Renaissance, the city is home to many of its most famous artistic treasures. Consequently, it is a popular destination for tourists and students of art and culture.

While Florence is best known for its successes during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, it was by no means a young city when this era began. It was founded in 59 BC. by Julius Caesar, who named the settlement Florentia (meaning “thriving”) and designated it as a retreat for retired military veterans. Indeed, the city was designed in the manner of a military camp, a pattern which is still evident in the city center today.

Because Florence is situated on fertile, arable land and is on an important travel route between northern Italy and Rome, it has grown steadily from a small Roman settlement to a bustling commercial centre. In the III century AD. it became the capital of Tuscany (then called Tuscia), but its growing importance soon became a detriment. Around the beginning of the 4th century, the Byzantines and the Germanic Ostrogoths were contending for control of Italy, and Florence was one of the cities they continued to contend over, causing such destruction that the population was, according to legend, reduced to less than 1,000 people.

But in the 6th century peace was restored under Lombard rule and the population continued to increase and prosper under the rule of Charlemagne in 774. In the 10th century Florence was in a strong and steady ascent towards prosperity. The first ferments of artistic activity began during the reign of Margrave Hugh, who moved to Florence in 1000 AD. Despite the political struggles of the early fourteenth century, Florence continued to prosper and in 1252 minted its own gold coin: the “florin”. The city became a powerful banking centre, with many Florentine banks opening branches throughout Europe. The powerful Medici banking family ruled the city from behind the scenes and also found fame as important patrons of the arts.

This economic strength fostered the growth of merchant guilds and attracted an influx of immigrants, setting the stage for the creative movement known as the Renaissance. The city maintained its reputation for innovation from the 14th to 16th centuries. There were a dozen artists’ guilds throughout the city, and Florence exported huge quantities of high-quality wool and other fabrics to Italy and Europe.

Many of the most influential artists of the time flocked to the city to create their masterpieces, including Michelangelo, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio and Leonardo da Vinci. Their frescoes, sculptures, architecture and paintings are still preserved throughout the city and are major points of interest for visitors from all over the world.

In 1737 Tuscany became the territory of Austria, to then be governed by France and the kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont. After the unification in 1861, Tuscany became a province of the Kingdom of Italy. Florence enjoyed a brief spell as the capital of Italy, replacing Turin in 1865 and hosting the country’s first parliament, but was replaced by Rome in 1871 following its addition to the kingdom.

Today Florence continues to thrive as a banking power, as well as a city of great historical and artistic importance. Finance and tourism fuel the city’s economic growth, and despite a flood that damaged thousands of important pieces in 1944, Florence boasts an unrivaled amount of Italian Renaissance art that attracts millions of tourists each year.

Pisa has very ancient historical origins, which are thought to date back to around the eighth century BC as a small Etruscan settlement. Starting from 30 BC. circa, the settlement grew to become a Roman colony known as Pisae. As a Roman city it was very successful, mainly due to its strategic position and the area’s abundant natural resources. The Romans built Porto Pisano, which served to strengthen its links with maritime trade.

From the decline of the Roman Empire until the 9th century AD, Pisa suffered repeated attacks. Subsequently, his attackers were Byzantines and Saracens. The city survived, however, retaining control of its territory through a succession of trade deals and land deals.

In medieval times, Pisa was a wealthy place. Its thriving economy was largely based on its busy port. It was in fact one of the four maritime republics of Italy, together with Genoa, Venice and Amalfi. Like many other cities in Europe, Pisa was keen to showcase its economic success in the form of ambitious building projects.

The city’s cathedral was consecrated by Pope Gelasius II in 1118. Work on the city’s infamous Leaning Tower began around 1173. Within the first five years, the tower began to sink because it was built on unstable foundations. In the 1370s more upper floors were built to try to compensate for the lean.

By this time, the city’s wealth had begun to decline and with it went its power and status. During the first half of the 13th century, Pisa was involved in frequent skirmishes with the city of  Florence . Then, in 1284, in the battle of Meloria, it suffered a significant defeat against Genoa. Many of the city’s ships were lost, along with thousands of men. Pisa would never fully recover. Its history was further marked by internal struggles between various factions that vied for control of the city. In 1293, Guelph forces overran a much weakened city.

In Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’, Count Ugolino della Gherardesca became Lord of Pisa, even though he was accused of treason at Meloria. His notoriety earned him a prison cell in the city’s Torre Gualandi. Legend has it that he ate several members of his family before dying.

By the 14th century, little had changed: the city was still a place of turmoil and violence. Then, in 1406, the Florentine army took control. Since the late Middle Ages, Pisa has acquired a reputation as a place of learning and culture. A university was founded in the city. In 1589 Galileo Galilei moved to Pisa to teach mathematics here. For the next three years, he conducted his famous experiments to unravel the mysteries of gravity by dropping objects from the Leaning Tower.

In the 18th and 19th centuries the lean of the tower worsened. Many attempts have been made to try and remedy the problem. Gradually, the tower turned out to be less of a problem building and more of a tourist attraction.

During the Second World War, Pisa was badly damaged by bombing. In recent times, the city has been restored, with most of its historic buildings still well preserved. In 1990 the consolidation and conservation works of the Leaning Tower of Pisa began.