In the heart of Florence lies a tremendous open air sculpture gallery known as Loggia della Signoria or Loggia dei Lanzi.

Free to visit, the loggia contains incredible examples of exquisite pieces of Renaissance art from iconic sculptors such as Giambologna and Cellini. The celebrated arched loggia was erected between 1376 and 1382 by Benci di Cione and Simone Talenti to house public ceremonies of the Florentine Republic, but it wasn’t until the 16th century that the Medici family added the sculptures to affirm their family’s power and status in the community.

As you climb the central steps you are welcomed by two magnificent lions which stand proudly atop of the staircase. Turn your gaze to the left to admire the extraordinary bronze Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini which was commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici and placed here in 1554. It depicts the mythical Greek hero raising his sword in his right hand and holding up the severed head of Medusa in the other. The highly decorated marble pedestal below, showcases the graceful bronze statuettes of Jupiter, Mercurius, Minerva and Danaë with the original base now on display in the nearby National Museum of the Bargello. Cellini worked for almost ten years to produce this particular bronze, having to overcome numerous obstacles during its production. These included trying to cast the metal several times, all to no avail. It is widely recorded that Cellini even gave orders to feed the furnace with his household possessions to attain the level of heat needed to melt the bronze to finally create the finished piece. In the end the only things that were missing were three of the toes on the right foot, which were added later.

Take your time to walk around the other magnificent statues to admire the great craftmanship and skill. Works by Giambologna include ‘The Rape of the Sabine Women’ and ‘Hercules and the Centaur Nessus’ whilst at the bottom of the arched bays you will see six marble female sculptures thought to originate from the Trajan’s Foro in Rome.

Also, upon the side of the Loggia there is a Latin inscription from 1750 which commemorates the change from the Florentine calendar in 1749, with the year beginning on 25th March and running through to the 1st January, thus bringing the city in line with the rest of the Roman calendar.