Florence | The Hall of the Five Hundred in Palazzo Vecchio
What is the landmark of Florence? Most people would say the Florence Cathedral, but the Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace) is truly just as iconic. 🏰 I visited Florence before Christmas, and the Palazzo Vecchio was open. I hurried inside to see the Hall of the Five Hundred that I had been longing to visit. The palace was once home to the Medici family, and its decorative mastermind was Vasari, who built the famous Vasari Corridor and wrote “Lives of the Artists,” the most significant Renaissance biographies. 🖌️ I’ve always felt that the Palazzo Vecchio encapsulates all the key elements of the Renaissance: the Medici family, great artists, wealth, politics, master builders, and disruptors. This palace, called Vecchio (old), has quietly stood alongside the Renaissance through its ups and downs. Fortunately, it is still remarkably well-preserved today. 🌟 The Hall of the Five Hundred is the largest room in Italy, measuring 54 meters in length and 18 meters in height. Once inside, you feel utterly dwarfed. It is said that this hall was built after Savonarola expelled the Medici family and seized power. At that time, it had little decoration. The fanatic, with just his words and idealistic cries, foolishly believed that gathering 500 people would be enough to govern Florence well. During those years, countless artworks were destroyed. 😢 Fortunately, people’s minds cannot be obscured for long. He was eventually burned at the stake in the Piazza della Signoria, and Florence suffered greatly as a result. Today, the Hall of the Five Hundred is magnificent. The walls are adorned with grand war scenes in frescoes, and the 39 ceiling panels are exquisitely carved, depicting the life of Cosimo I de’ Medici. The room also houses the museum’s pride, the statue “Victory.” From the second floor, looking down, the Renaissance sunlight filters in, making the entire hall indescribably beautiful. 🌞 While the current frescoes in the hall are impressive (Vasari’s work), they represent the biggest regret of the Renaissance. The two artists initially commissioned for the frescoes are truly legendary: Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Leonardo da Vinci was supposed to paint “The Battle of Anghiari,” but only a sketch remains. Later evaluations suggest that it might have been his greatest work. Unfortunately, he experimented with encaustic painting, which melted in the heat and deteriorated quickly. The work had to be restored later. However, people couldn’t believe that Vasari would simply cover up Leonardo’s masterpiece. He left a small inscription on the painting, “Cerca, trova” (Seek, and you shall find), offering a glimmer of hope for this age-old mystery. Everyone now hopes that technology will advance to a point where Leonardo’s masterpiece can be revealed without damaging Vasari’s work. 🔍 Michelangelo’s work was supposed to be “The Battle of Cascina,” but he only created a sketch before being summoned to Rome. The much-anticipated artistic showdown never happened. 😔 Each room on the second floor of the Palazzo Vecchio is worth a close look. The exquisite craftsmanship is so subtle that it leaves you in awe, with so much to see and talk about. The highlight was finding the Old Chancellery, where Machiavelli quietly stands in a corner. The room is incredibly modest, yet the atmosphere is very comfortable. It was truly a moment of contentment. 😊 #mustvisitmuseum