Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany

Cosimo I de' Medici (June 12, 1519, Florence http://www.worldroots.com/cgi-bin/gasteldb?@I15897@ – April 21, 1574, Castello) was the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, ruling from 1537 to 1574, during the waning days of the Renaissance.

Cosimo and the arts

Among his many accomplishments was the creation of the Uffizi, originally intended to house the government, now one of the world's great art galleries. He also finished the Pitti Palace as a home for the Medici and created the magnificent Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti. He was a great patron of the arts, supporting, among others, Vasari, Cellini, and the architect Lanci

Related Topics:
Uffizi - Pitti Palace - Boboli Gardens - Vasari - Cellini - Lanci

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A large bronze equestrian statue of Cosimo I by Giambologna, erected in 1598, still stands today in the Piazza della Signoria, the main square of Florence.

Related Topics:
Giambologna - 1598 - Piazza della Signoria

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