Florence - The Palazzo Vecchio
Begun in 1299, this fortress of a town hall became known as the 'vecchio' palace when the Medici entourage upped and moved sticks to the Pitti palace, after a mere nine years in residence.
It was built as the seat of the Signoria, the fathers of the city´s republican government, and incorporated the ancient tower into its construction. The various salons and chambers of the interior are largely decorated with tributes and eulogies to Cosimo I and his family.