The Uffizi Palace is one of the most admired monuments of Florence, an architectural work of art, masterpiece of inestimable value.
The Palace was designed by Giorgio Vasari around the middle of the 16^th century after being commissioned by Cosimo I. Sadly, some of the surrounding buildings including the church of San Pier Scheraggio need to be demolished to make space for the realization of this project.
The Palace was built with the intention of hosting the thirteen administrative Uffizi, meaning judicial magistrate, and therefore is derived its name. Vasari died before the completion of the Palace and the job was given to Buontalenti and Alfonso Parigi. In 1586, the Teatro Mediceo was projected by Buontalenti at the will of Francesco I, the son of Cosimo I.
This theater also served as the seat of the senate while Florence was the capital of Italy. The building is U shaped or "horseshoe" has two floors and opens up towards the Arno River.
A large corridor with six high arched windows overlooking the courtyard and the Arno conjoins the two bodies of the building which are parallel.
In the portico which runs along the whole length of the Palace and sustained by pillars, you can find statues of famous Florentines in all the niches, representing the time period from the Middle Ages up to the 19^th century.
The Uffizi Gallery, the famous museum hosted inside the Palace is one of the most admired and visited museums in the world housing great works of art and history from the 13^th to the 18^th centuries.
In 1993 the Accademia dei Georgofili in the Palazzo was involved in a terrorist bombing attack undergoing damage and losses of inestimable value. After long hours of restoration work, the Palazzo was returned to its original splendor.