Our visit to the palazzo Vecchio was very informative. Our guide taught us many details and facts about the palace and the people who lived there. We learned about the history of Florence, the priors, the Medici, and other important people of that time. The “Salone dei Cinquecento” or Hall of five hundred, is a grand chamber used by the Grand Council. Its walls were originally commissioned to be painted by Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. The walls are covered by frescoes depicting the military victories of Florence over Pisa and Siena. There are also paintings on the ceiling which were completed in the 2 years when Giorgio Vasari was commissioned by Cosimo I Medici to make the room larger. This was my favorite room in the palace. We also toured a terrace and some of the apartments which were offices, bedrooms, and chapels. All of them were very well decorated with paintings and intricate details. Another room I found interesting was the “Guardaroba” or Hall of Geographical Maps. Commissioned by Cosimo I, Giorgio Vasari created a gallery that doubled as Cosimo’s personal collection. The room is surrounded with cabinets covered by maps that were meant to house artifacts from each part of the world. There were also armillary spheres that used to be displayed in the center of the room. Our guide also took us through a secret passage hidden in the cabinets and we got to see a secret viewing area of the main chamber. I really enjoyed viewing the interior of the Palazzo Vecchio and learning about its rich history.
Jacob's Study Abroad in Italy 