Fig. I. Cathedral with Campanile, from the South.I. CONDITIONS OF FLORENTINE CULTURE.LORENCE, the City of Flowers, is wonderfully situated. Climb up toFiesole in the early Spring, when nature is bare and grey in our coldNorth-up the green slopes between laurel and silvery olives and pointed, black cypresses, until you look down upon the marble-town with its cupolas and roofs, buried in a sea of blossoms,-and you will understand the name. From the opposite south-side, from S. Miniato across the Arno, you get the view of Florence against this wall of blossoming green. This town, enjoying all the blessing of nature, also takes first place in Italy as a habitation of modern man, especially since the changes of the last thirty years; it offers rest and enjoyment like no other town. Though without industries and noisy turmoil, Florence is not dead, like Venice and Pisa; she lives on the recollections of a glorious past and guards the treasures of her unique culture. What would ItTable of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS; I I; II History of the Town until about 1300 P- 5; III The three Walls The Squares Impressions of the Town P- 19; I/ P- 24; V P- 31; I P- 38; Vl P- 42; VIII Gothic Secular Architecture P- 58; IX The Fifteenth Century P- 64; X The Early Renaissance P- 77; XI Churches of the Renaissance P- 100; XII P- 112; XIII P- 120; XIV P- i3>; XV The Exile of the Medici (1494) and their Return (1512)' P- 157; XVI 168; XVII 179About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page wh