Piazza della Signoria is one of the most popular squares in Florence and the main artery of politics. The piazza holds many important buildings that include Palazzo Vecchio dating back to the turn of the 13th century and accredited to the artist Arnolfo di Cambio.
In front of Palazzo Vecchio one can admire an exquisite copy of the Fountain of Neptune done by Bartolomeo Ammanannati in 1565; the original fountain can be found in the National Museum of Florence, out there for safety reasons due to vandalism, and the world renown David by Michelangelo; like the Fountain of Neptune, the David in the piazza is an excellent example of a copy but the original has been moved to the Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts for security purposes.
Other sights to be admired in Piazza Signoria include the Loggia della Signoria and Loggia dei Lonzi which holds a gallery housing numerous works of art like the statue of Perseus With the Head of Medusa by Benvenuto Cellini.
Another building, probably the most visited, is the Uffizi Palace which holds the Uffizi Gallery, originally created in 1581 for Francesco de'Medici, one of the most admired art galleries in the world, exhibiting works by world renowned artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo, Giotto, Raphael, Cimabue, Botticelli and Caravaggio.
The popular L-shaped square also houses the Palace of the Tribunale della Mercanzia, and the Uguccioni Palace.
Very near this splendid open air square is the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, one of the world's oldest pharmacies with a legacy that has thrived for centuries. It was officially founded in 1612 but dates as far back to 1221 to the Dominican friars.
Surely, all those who enter the pharmacy are touched by the indescribable range of scents that linger in the air offering those who come a vast range of preparations and products to entice even the most demanding customer.
A visit to Piazza della Signoria is sure to keep its visitors occupied with its important history combined with modern day shops and cafés.