The Loggia dei Lanzi Built for the investiture of the priors	Loggia dei Lanzi Click here to enlarge the picture

	The Loggia dei Lanzi is situated to the right of Palazzo Vecchio. Built by Benci di Cione and Simone Talenti from 1376 to 1382 for the investiture of the priors and gonfaloniers, it was also used for issuing decrees and receiving diplomatic missions. It's also known as the Loggia dell'Orcagna or Loggia della Signoria but Lanzi comes from the fact that the Lanzichenecchi, Swiss soldiers in Cosimo I's service, were posted there. It is an amazing example of Florentine gothic and is decorated with the coats of arms of the Republic and the tiles which symbolise the theological and cardinal virtues, all created by Agnolo Gaddi. Two lions, the symbol of Florence like the lily (which is really an iris), stand on the entrance steps and inside are housed the statues of the "Rape of the Sabine" (1583) and "Hector and the Centaur" (1559) by Giambologna, "Perseus" (1554) by Benvenuto Cellini, "Menelaus with the body of Patroclus" and the "Rape of Polyxena" (1866) by Pio Fedi. The walls of the loggia display restored statues depicting six Roman patrons.