ome is famous for its marvelous churches of all sizes and splendor. Many of these churches and basilicas have been around for centuries and are home to beautiful pieces of artwork. Most of the churches are open to the public with a few that have museums that may charge a small fee.
The Piazza della Signoria has been the center of political life in Florence since the 14th century. It was the scene of great triumphs, such as the return of the Medici in 1530 as well as the Bonfire of the Vanities instigated by Savonarola, who was then himself burned at the stake here in 1498 after he was denounced by the Inquisition as a heretic. A marble circle inscription on the piazza shows the location where he was burned.
In 2007, a six-year initiative culminated in a popularity poll aimed to pick seven new wonders of the world from a short list of 200 existing monuments. While many of the places that failed to make the cut are highly desirable destinations, the Acropolis of Athens, Angkor Wat and Eiffel Tower included, the selected seven are rightly found at the top of many a traveler’s bucket list.
