Florence played a crucial role in the development of Italian art, culture and the language itself. It's often regarded as "the cradle of Renaissance".
The city, of course, is very beautiful in her own right. But if you want to get the most out of your vacation in Florence, I'd suggest you to take some time and learn about a few names that you are bound to come across: The Medici Family, Michelangelo and Dante
I am going to start with Dante.
Dante Alighieri
He was a widely loved Florentine poet in the middle ages, a century before the Renaissance started (some called him "the frontrunner of Renaissance"). His works had remarkable influence over the Renaissance artists and the Italian culture. He also represented the people's love and pride of the Florence city.
i. The Father of the Italian Language
He was considered the father of Italian, mainly because of his epic work "the Divine Comedy". Comedy here doesn't suggest his poem was about something funny. At that time the "high" literature was called "tragedy" and "low" literature "comedy". High literature was written in Latin. However, Dante's Divine Comedy was first literary work written in Italian. Due to the success of his poems, the Italian language also became an important language in Europe.
ii. The Inspiration of Renaissance Artists
His works, particularly the Divine Comedy, inspired a lot of Renaissance artists. He created new visions towards the heaven and the hell, and acted as blueprints of many famous religious works of the Renaissance, including Michelangelo's Last Judgement on the wall of the Sistine Chapel. His work was admired by the most prominent artists in the world, including Michelangelo, who was also a poet himself, and Botticelli.
iii. The Star-crossed Lovers
The life of the poet was a romantic tragedy. He fell in love with a woman named Beatrice at the age of 9 at first sight (yes. 9!). However instead of Beatrice, he married the daughter of an influential family in Florence at 12 (yes. 12!). Beatrice died at the young age of 24, buried at the church where she first met Dante. Much to the poet's grief, she was often mentioned in Dante's work. In Dante's Divine Comedy, he reached the paradise under the guidance of Beatrice. He devoted his work and much of his life to the woman he loved (hmmm...his wife, however, was never mentioned in any of his work).
iv. Florence and Dante
Dante was born, baptized, and raised in Florence. He loved his homeland dearly. However he took the wrong side in a political conflict and was exiled from Florence when he was in his mid-thirties. He was later invited to Ravenna, where he finished his Divine Comedy, and died 3 years later at 56. Until the very last moments of his life, he wished one day he could return to Florence with honour. Years after Dante's death (and success), Florence finally wanted his remain back from Ravenna, but in vein. Despite the fail attempts, Florence built a massive tomb for Dante nevertheless, with a quote from his work Inferno "Honour the most exalted poet" and "His spirit, which had left us, has returned". (so sad!!)
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