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<\/p>\nProceedings of two conference cycles on art, urbanism, and history of the Florence of 800 years ago.<\/p>\n
edited by Timothy Verdon<\/p>\n
Commenting on the 14th century construction of the new Cathedral, Giovanni Villani writes that the one preceding, Santa Reparata, was \u201csmall and of gross form\u201d. The same could have been said of almost all public civic structures, and of the city of Florence as well, before the building boom in the final decades of the 13th century, spearheaded by Arnolfo di Cambio. What was Florence like between the 11th and end of the 13th century, before the expansion of the walled area, before the great basilicas, before Santa Maria del Fiore and Palazzo della Signoria? Furthermore, what religious, political and economic energies were preparing the complete redefinition of the city concept in the time of Arnolfo, Dante and Giotto?<\/p>\n