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Florence · Mysteries & legends

Bulls, lightning and hanged men: secret Florence

Florence keeps its mysteries in plain sight: high on a capital, in a marble disc in the pavement, on a corner of Palazzo Vecchio. On this route we show you where to look, and we carefully separate what the records say from what tradition tells.

  • 6 stops
  • 1.2 km
  • 1 h 30 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
The bronze boar of the Porcellino with its shiny snout

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Column of St ZenobiusA lone column recalls the dead elm that, according to tradition, burst into leaf in midwinter as a saint went by.
  2. 2 The bull's head on the DuomoHigh on the cathedral's north side a bull's head peers out: a tribute to the oxen, or a jilted lover's revenge?
  3. 3 The Duomo's fallen ballA marble disc in the pavement marks where the gilded ball from the top of the dome crashed down after a lightning strike.
  4. 4 The BargelloBefore it became a sculpture museum, it was a court, a prison and a place of execution; conspirators were hanged from its windows.
  5. 5 Michelangelo's ImportunoA profile carved into the stone of Palazzo Vecchio: a prank by Michelangelo, or the face of a condemned man?
  6. 6 The Porcellino and the Stone of ScandalA bronze boar whose snout you rub to come back to Florence and, next to it, the stone where debtors were humiliated.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

Bulls, lightning and hanged men: secret Florence

Details nobody sees

A bull's head, a marble disc, a carved profile: small clues that most visitors walk straight past.

Legend and record

Every stop sets what is proven apart from what is told, without spoiling a good story.

Crime and punishment

The Pazzi conspiracy, the hanged men of the Bargello and the stone where debtors were publicly shamed.

Keep exploring

More routes in Florence

Back to Florence
HistoryFrom Roman Florentia to the palace of the Medici MixedMust-see Florence: from Santa Maria Novella to Santa Croce

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Florence?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Florence in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Florence in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Florence in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary