Palazzo Vecchio -- Here is the courtyard of the old palace upon entering from the Piazza della Signoria (note Cellini's Perseus beyond the doors).  Vasari's school painted the walls with scenes of Austrian cities to appease the homesickness of the wife of Francis I de Medici. The Palazzo Vecchio has been the seat of civic authority since 1299, serving the Florentine Republic, the Duchy of Tuscany and the municipal government of the present day.  Here, Salone dei Cinquecento, great hall for the Grand Council of the Republic, is open to the public, as are the many living quarters, the map room and the main upper terrace.

These photos were taken with the Canon Pro70 digital camera.