Destination: Fiction: The Palazzo Vecchio, Florence

One of my favourite spots in Florence is Piazza della Signoria, a busy square dominated by the fortress-like Palazzo Vecchio. As a fan of Dan Brown's novel, Inferno, I toured the palazzo's museum to see some of the items mentioned in the book for myself, like the Hall of Five Hundred, the Mappa Mundi and Dante's Death Mask.

The Palazzo Vecchio, Florence

The Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria

Replica of David Overlooking the Square

Caffè Rivoire

As you approach the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio you'll notice the Loggia dei Lanzi to your right. Originally built as a platform for public speaking, the loggia is now an outdoor sculpture gallery.

The Loggia dei Lanzi

Medici Lion

Perseus With the Head of Medusa, Cellini

The Rape of the Sabine Women, Giambologna

The Rape of Polyxena, Fedi

The Palazzo Vecchio still serves as Florence's Town Hall today. The entrance is flanked by two more statues, a replica of Michelangelo's David (where the original stood before it was moved to the Accademia Gallery) and Hercules and Cacus.

Replica of David at the Palazzo Vecchio Entrance

Hercules and Cacus, Bandinelli

Doorway of the Palazzo Vecchio

Putto With Dolphin, Interior Courtyard

The Hall of Five Hundred is lined by large wall paintings by Giorgio Vasari depicting scenes from Florentine history, such as The Battle of Marciano with its cryptic phrase "Cerca trova".

Hall of Five Hundred, Palazzo Vecchio

Hall of Five Hundred Ceiling

The Battle of Marciano, Vasari

On the second floor is a balcony overlooking the Hall of Five Hundred and the items I most wanted to see: the doorway to the Vasari Corridor, the cabinet holding Dante's Death Mask and the Hall of Maps with the Mappa Mundi globe and map of Armenia.