Italia, ti amiamo!Dopo qualche tempo viaggiando e lavorando a New York sono tornata a Firenze nel finale dellanno scorso. Adesso riprendo l'ativita del Blog, questa volta a quatro mani: mia mamma, Hilda Longhi Wagner, a chi piace troppo l'Italia, mi aiutera.Noi condividiamo lo stesso amore per Firenze e per questo paese.Il nostro obiettivo non e fare le guide turistiche, invece, parlare delle nostre esperienze viaggiando per lItalia e vogliamo prestare un omaggio a questo paese afascinante.Il primo posto sara un nostro omaggio a Firenze, cita dove abito da 2010.Firenze, la capitale del Rinascimento! FIRENZE, THECAPITAL OF THE RENAISSANCE The first posts of this "Italy,we love you" series will be our tribute to Florence, this wonderful citythat is considered to be the capital of the Renaissance. Firenze is the capital of theTuscany Region. In the year 59 BC the Romans founded a small village (theycalled it "Florentia") to house veterans of their legions. Theremains of a Roman Theater under the Palazzo Vecchio are now a touristattraction. From the name Florentia derived "Fiorenza", used inantiquity and still today in the medieval celebrations (Evviva Fiorenza!). Inthese medieval events, which enchant the tourists, teams of young people called"Sbandieratori" display their flag throwing skills using theFlorentine flag, with the red fleur de lys on a white background. Florentinepolitics was dominated for most of medieval times by families of wealthybankers, many of them also wool producers. Their banks lent money to many kingsall over Europe and also to many Popes. Most of the beautiful buildingsappreciated by tourists today belonged to these families, such as the Strozzi,the Spini and the Tornabuoni. The most important of these families were the Medici,who ruled Florence and all of Tuscany for about 300 years, beginning in 1434.The importance and fortune of the family began with Giovanide Bici, who became a banker and was an active participant in Florence'spolitical life in the late 1300s and early 1400s. He had two children: Cosimoil Vecchio and Lorenzo, also called il Vecchio. The first Medici familymembers to rule Florence, beginning in 1434, which are regarded as the mainbranch of the family, are the descendants of Cosimo, including hisgreat-grandson Lorenzo the Magnificent. This branch ruled Florence from 1434 to1537 with few interruptions, the government not yet being hereditary. In 1537,after the death of Alessandro, the last representative of the branch of Cosimo,the descendants of Lorenzo il Vecchio started to rule Florence and later all ofTuscany, with the title of Grand Dukes (the power then becoming hereditary)until 1737. They were, in chronological order: Cosimo I, Francesco I,Ferdinando I, Cosimo II, Ferdinando II, Cosimo III and the last Medici, GianGastone, who died in 1737. Florence was respected throughout Europe.From 1865 to 1871 it was the Capital of the Italian Kingdom, after theunification of Italy in 1861. The "vulgar" Italian used by DanteAlighieri in the Divine Comedy was chosen as the official language of the newItaly. Otherinteresting facts: Michelangelo and Botticelli were protegees of the Medici atthe beginning of their careers and lived in the family's Palazzo (now Palazzo Medici-Riccardi)in Via Larga (now Via Cavour). Galileo lived the last years of