Florence (Firenze), the capital city of the region of Tuscany in Italy, lies on the Arno River and has a population of around 400,000 people. A centre of European trade and finance during the late middle ages, the city contributed so much to the cultural and political development of Europe. Florence is famous for its striking buildings, formidable galleries and treasure-crammed churches. The historic centre of FLorence has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1982.