Florence By Area >> City Centre North

Via Micheli 3. Tel. 055 275 74 02

Open: 9am-1pm Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun; 9am-5pm Sat. Closed: 1st Jan, 6th Jan, 25th Apr, Easter Sun & Mon, 1st May, 13th -17th Aug, 1st Nov, 24th -26th Dec, 31st Dec.

The word "Semplici" refers to the raw ingredients, "simples", used by medieval apothecaries in preparing medicine- thus the Giardino dei Semplici was where medicinal herbs were grown and studied. It was set up in 1545 by Niccolò Tribolo for Cosimo I in the area between Via Micheli, Via Giorgio la Pira and Via Gino Capponi. The garden retains its original layout but now the collection includes tropical plants as well as flora native to Tuscany.

Around the garden are small specialist museums: a geology collection includes fossils; the mineralogy section shows the geological structure of Elba, whose ores attracted bronze traders in the 10th century BC. The botanical museum has specimens of rare plants.