Loggia dei Lanzi is the three-arched Gothic loggia on the south side of Piazza della Signoria, beside Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi. Benci di Cione and Simone Talenti completed it in 1382 for the Florentine Republic’s public ceremonies. Today it holds some of the most important Renaissance and Mannerist sculpture in Florence.
The loggia takes its name from the Landsknechte, the German mercenaries garrisoned here under Cosimo I in the 16th century (Roadmento). Under its broad vaults, Benvenuto Cellini’s bronze Perseus with the Head of Medusa (1545–1554) faces the piazza. Nearby stand Giambologna’s spiraling marble Rape of the Sabine Women and his Hercules and the Centaur Nessus. The group Menelaus Supporting the Body of Patroclus is also here, and a pair of Medici lions guards the front steps. Because the sculpture sits at eye level, you can circle the Sabine group and follow its upward twist from every side.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Entry is free. A local report says that since January 23, 2026, you collect a free ticket on site when you enter (Antica Torre di via Tornabuoni). Some reviewers note that access closes in the evening (Tripadvisor), so check current hours before you go. Early morning offers the softest light and the thinnest crowds, especially from May to September. Allow 30–60 minutes. You can pair the visit with Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi, and the copy of Michelangelo’s David just steps away.
