The Loggia dei Lanzi is today a public sculpture gallery next to the Palazzo Vecchio in the heart of Florence. The building is an outdoor porch with two open sides and is covered by a roof.
The Loggia was originally built in 1376-1382 to serve as an official gathering place for assemblies of citizens and swearing in ceremonies. For awhile in the 1500's, it was used to house the dreaded German mercenaries employed by Grand Duke Cosimo I de'Medici. The mercenaries were pikemen, or lancers--hence the name Loggia dei Lanci.
Over time, the loggia was filled with many sculptures that remain on display there.
We stopped by recently for a look around.
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| The Loggia dei Lanzi as seen from the top of the Palazzo Veccho |
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| Perseus with the Head of Medusa, by Benvenuto Cellini (1545) |
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| A bronze statuette of Mercury, at the base of Cellini's Perseus |
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| The Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna (1582) |
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| The Rape of Polyxena by Pio Fedi (1865) |
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| Menelaus Supporting the Body of Patroclus, a Roman marble sculpture from the 1st century A.D. (The statue is a copy of a Greek sculpture from the 3rd century B.C.) |
The Loggia is a nice place to relax and view art while escaping the sun on a hot Florentine day.
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