Florence is a city of stone, in particular two types of local sandstone: Pietra Forte and Pietra Serena. Pietra Forte was once quarried in the area that is now occupied by the Boboli Gardens and was used from the Middle Ages onwards for the rustication of buildings such as the Palazzo Vecchio and the Palazzo Pitti.

Pietra Serena was introduced into the cityscape by Filippo Brunelleschi; he used it for columns, arches, corbels, cornices, arches, gables and gateways. Some of the areas it was quarried from include the hills around Fiesole, Maiano and Settignano. 

The green marble used for the facing of churches in geometric design came from the hills near Prato. The famed white marble of Florentine sculpture came from Carrara.

John Ruskin began his study of architecture after experiencing the church of Santa Maria Forisportam in Lucca.

Pietre Dure or Florentine mosaic. This was an art initiated by the Medici in the sixteenth century. Technically it is stone inlay obtained by cutting and fitting together marble and polychrome semi-precious stones. When Michelangelo’s giant statue of David was installed it had to be guarded since stones were thrown at it during the night. ‘Sasso di Dante’ – Dante’s stone –where Dante used to sit, write and watch the new cathedral of Florence being built. The Sasso di Dante inspired many English poets, among them Wordsworth . The poet visited Florence in 1837and sat on the stone then wrote a sonnet about the experience.