The history of the Medici family in Florence is directly correlated with the greatness of the city in the world.
The Medici came from Mugello, the mountains between Bologna and Florence. They were a family of landowners and they produced wool. But Florence was the city to go to for becoming rich and well known. So in the 13th century, the family moved to Florence and set up in the city.

The Medici And Their Power in Florence

They decided to go to Florence and set up activities in the yarns business that gave them enormous wealth, until they became bankers, and eventually acquired noble rights with marriages with noble Florentine and European families.

After their enormous wealth, they wanted to acquire noble titles but most of all they became very influential at the political level. And they made it becoming an incredibly powerful “Casato”. They ruled over Florence for almost three hundred years.

But in particular, what distinguished the Medici family was their love for arts and culture. First with Cosimo il Vecchio and then, with who eventually became the most popular man of the family, Lorenzo De’ Medici. The Medici family became the benefactors of artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo, Brunelleschi, Botticelli or Donatello.

The Medici And Their Heritage

Together with the great architectural works and the villas that they built, the Medici family will always be remembered as the Florentine Renaissance family “par excellence”, which has influenced Western culture for many centuries through the money and support that they gave to art and culture.

School Activities to Discover Their Great Legacy

The Medici left a huge legacy to the city of Florence and Parola Italian language school frequently does guided visits to introduce its language students to the greatness of the Medici family.