Piazza della Repubblica - Firenze
A three minute walk from Piazza della Signoria in the direction of the Duomo, lies Piazza della Repubblica. It was remodelled at the time that Firenze became the capital of Italy (between 1865 and 1871), as part of the large scale re-planning that Firenze and other Italian cities went through during this period in an effort to clean them up (called the period of "risanamento") and make them more hospitable for the local community
Roman Times
Since the days of the Roman empire the Piazza was the official centre of the city. The exact centre being marked by the Colonna dell'Abbondanza. On the south side of the Piazza an entrance was marked by a large and imposing arch. On the north side, there was a large wall, to the east and west were the public offices. According to the chronicles of Giovanni Villani, a temple dedicated to Mars - noted as being the city's patron in Roman times - was erected, either in the Piazza or near to it.
Medieval times - Mercato Vecchio
During the Medieval period there was a much greater number of buildings in what is today the main Piazza. Town histories report that the local population were quite unhappy with the way the city was being turned into a modern day equivalent of a concrete jungle. Over time the space was recognised as a focal point of the city, with the market being officially registered to the Piazza after 11th century. As was carried out in other Italian cities, town spaces were assigned to various working functions of the city. In the case of Florence, Religious Affairs (Piazza del Duomo), Political Affairs (Piazza della Signoria) and Commerce (Piazza della Repubblica).
In the 1500s the market area was moved to the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, which can be found near the Ponte Vecchio. In so doing, the name "Mercato Vecchio" (old market) was given to identify the old market area. Also present in the space that makes up the Piazza today, was a Jewish ghetto, which Cosimo I ordered be created for the local Jesuit community. To this day, the only remnants of Mercato Vecchio, is in the form of the Colonna dell'Abbondanza (see it featured in both the images on this page). A copy from 1956 is on display in the main Piazza. During the demolition of the medieval slums in the 19th century, remnants of a thermal bath and a religious building were found on the south side of the Piazza - Via del Campidoglio and Via delle Terme are named in honour of these discoveries.
Piazza della Repubblica Today
Today the Piazza hosts a series of bars around its perimeter, and is largely used as an open space for visitors to the city. Rinascente is a historic shop worth mentioning as it has been in business since 1865 and one one of the first department stores where customers were able to buy clothes ready to wear, and could take them straight off the shelves (things we take take for granted today). It's the equivalent of a Florentine Harrods or Selfridges.
