Florence, Italy

• Population: 379,180
• About the same size as Arlington, Texas
• Most populous city in Tuscany
• Capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and province of Florence
• Located on the River Arno
• Birthplace of the Renaissance
• Nicknamed the "Athens of the Middle Ages"
• One of the wealthiest cities of the Middle Ages and Renaissance
• Florence is one of the most visited cities in the world (over 1.8 million visitors per year)
• Forbes continually ranks Florence as one of the most beautiful cities in the world
• One of the fashion capitals of Europe
• Known for Florentine style steak
• 1377-1743: The Medici family rules Florence
• The Medicis became rich due to the banking industry
• The Medici family had a lot of power of Europe during this time, lending money to foreign leaders and producing 4 popes
• 1436: Duomo is opened
• 1865-1871: Florence is the capital of Italy
• 1944: The Ponte Vecchio is not destroyed as German army retreats during World War Two
• 1982: Florence is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• 2008: Florence had the 17th highest average income in Italy
• 2013: Florence ranked as the 2nd best world city
• Climate
• Florence has hot summers with little precipitation and cool winters.
• Religion:
• Roman Catholic
• Tourist Attractions
• Duomo
• Ponte Vecchio
• Florence Baptistery
• Giotto Tower (Campanile)
• Palazzo Vecchio
• Uffizi Gallery
• Largest Renaissance art gallery
• Galleria dell' Academia
• Home to Michaelangelo's David
• Palazzo di Pitti and Boboli Gardens
• Piazza Michaelangelo
• Santa Croce
• Casa di Dante
• Famous Florentines
• Dante Alighieri
• Leonardo da Vinci
• Giovanni Boccaccio
• Filippo Bruneleschi
• Michaelangelo Buonarroti
• Niccolo Machiavelli 
• Gioto
• Donatello
• Sandro Botticelli
• Amerigo Vespucci
• Lorenzo di Medici