The ancient defensive walls of the city of Florence represent an impressive testimony to its urban and military history. The largest city wall, dating back to the late 13th and early 14th centuries, was built on the northern side of the Arno. It included a watchtower approximately every 120 meters, extending along a perimeter of nearly nine kilometers and enclosing an area of over five hundred hectares. The design of this city wall, attributed to architects and craftsmen of the communal era, underwent a series of construction phases until the mid-16th century.
Over the centuries, the urban fabric changed: in the area north of the Arno, the walls were largely demolished in the 19th century to make way for new ring roads, while in the southern area—the Oltrarno—a significant portion of the route is still visible and retains much of the original structure. In recent years, the City of Florence has launched a restoration project aimed at enhancing this section of the wall: the curtain walls and watchtowers, thanks to their grandeur and urban continuity, provide a unique visual and spatial perception within the historic center, providing a tangible link between the city's medieval and modern defensive aspects. Although climbing the walkways and accessing the historic gates are currently limited to special itineraries and occasions, the wall remains a highly evocative element that invites us to rediscover the relationship between city, defense, and landscape.
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