Hidden Gems in Florence

When traveling southward in Italy to Florence, one name begins to appear frequently: the Medici family.📚📚 The Medici family, who originated in Florence, left behind an innumerable amount of architectural legacies. Among them, the Laurentian Library (Biblioteca Laurenziana) is perhaps one of the lesser-known ones.😀😀😀 The Laurentian Library was funded by Pope Clement VII, a member of the Medici family. Besides being used to house the Medici family's collection of manuscripts and books, it also served to emphasize that the Medicis were no longer just merchants, but intellectuals and members of the Church.❤️❤️❤️ And the designer of the Laurentian Library was none other than Michelangelo himself. When designing the vestibule, Michelangelo, despite it being an interior space, employed the style typically used for exterior facades, adding many pilasters and niches to create more interplay of light and shadow. The central marble staircase is also unlike most staircases of that time, which were usually confined to dark corners. Instead, it was placed right in the middle as a decorative element, with an overall shape resembling lava flowing and cascading down from the upper level. (By the way, I have no idea why I didn't manage to take a full shot of the staircase at that time.) The benches on both sides of the reading room were also designed by Michelangelo, serving both as lecterns and reading stands. My favorite part might be the design of the ceiling and floor. The plane tree ceiling follows Michelangelo's early drawings, and the floor design echoes it. Together with the Medici coat of arms on the two side windows, they highlight the presence of the Medici dynasty.🤓🤓🤓 Travel Tips: - Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with the last admission at 1:00 p.m. Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. The opening hours are quite limited, so be mindful of the time. - Admission fee: 5 euros. - It is not far from the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Medici Chapels, and the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, so it can be visited as part of a Medici-themed tour. - When visiting, be careful not to step on the parts of the reading room floor that are not covered by carpets. #ItalyTravel #HistoricalArchitecture #WorldTravel #Florence #FlorenceTravel #ItalyTravelTips #TravelTips #FlorenceTravelTips #TravelPhotography