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Above: Florence at sunset, the colour of Òdiluted wineÓCultural exchangeThe British Institute of Florence helps to bring the marvels of this Renaissance city to residents, students and visitors alike. Next year it will highlight 100 Florentine masterpieces as part of its centenary celebrations – bringing to the fore not only a host of Renaissance artists, but also vibrant contemporary works of artEverything about Florence seems to be coloured with a mild violet, like diluted wine,” wrote Henry James of this Renaissance city. Lingering over a chilled drink in a pavement café, it is easy to see why –the sunset lights up the ochre paint on the buildings and helps give a literally rose-tinted view of life as it passes by.Florence was founded by the Etruscans and Romans, but it was between the 14th and 16th centuries that a surge in artistic, literary and scientifi c creativity created the city now familiar to us, stimulated by the Florentines’ expertise with banking and trade – and love of conspicuous wealth. According to UNESCO, the centre of Florence constitutes the greatest concentration of artistic heritage in the world, the result of six centuries of creativity. It is not only the artefacts in her museums, notably the Uffi zi, the Bargello, the Pitti Palace and the Galleria dell’Accademia, but also the fabric of Florence herself which enables the visitor to walk in the Renaissance: the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with Brunelleschi’s cupola; the Baptistery and Giotto’s bell tower; the Piazza della Signoria dominated by the Palazzo Vecchio; San Lorenzo; Santa Maria Novella; Santa Croce and the 40 NADFAS REVIEW / AUTUMN 2016 www.nadfas.org.uk