From street artists to world-famous art galleries Florence has always been a city of art. In ancient time it was once a small village for Roman soldiers. However, in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Medici family became rulers of the city. They ordered and paid for many of the buildings and works of art that the city is now famous for, and it became the birthplace of the European Renaissance. Today, it is one of the world's loveliest cities.