Indepth Florence--the Final words ??

Florence is more than a city located in central Italy. Founded as a Roman camp around the 1st century, it rose slowly on the North side of the River Arno. Suddenly, something monumental happened here during the renassaince. It is as if an angel came down from heaven and allowed this city to become the center of a massive change in human development. Old theories, some centuries old back to Aristotle were disproved.(Such as mathematical measurement,Flotation and weights,and magnatism) Other studies such as Galileo and his telescope correcting the position of the earth and sun in the solar system were as important as man stepping onto the moon during our own time! Something happened as well to literature, art, music,painting, and sculpture...and it all happened in this one intimate town.It was a very mystic and exciting time that has left an afterglow on the streets of Florence today. The echo of footsteps from Leonardo DaVinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Galileo,Dante, and Machavelli are still heard at night as you are transported back in time.

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Many of these great giants of men would never have survived if it were not for the support of the Medici Clan who were fanatical supporters of all knowledge and progress.You don't have to agree with their politics, but you do have to be thankful that they left this world a much finer place! This is a town much like Paris, built on the left and right bank of the river. The old city center is on the North ( right bank) with the artistic areas and the Pitti Palace on the south ( left bank). The outdoor markets ( Mercato Nuovo, Mercato Centrale, and the Piazza San Lorenzo) are around the train station and spread East. Famous for leather goods,lace tablecloths, and silk scarves that can be bought here in a bounty of color. Still a town of artists, the narrow streets offer glassware, handpainted ceramics,embroidery work, wrought iron items, and mosaic shops.

For modern shopping and designer items the streets North of the Ponte Vecchio will keep you busy. A little more reasonable are the department stores " Coin" and La Rinascente". If jewelry is your passion,indulge yourself on the ponte vecchio bridge.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you've driven, park underground at the train station. You won't risk running over on your time and the security in the garage is better than taking chances on the street. A full day is about .

Walk as much as possible! Buy a good map, such as my favorite "i-map" with the little compass inside, and divide the city into quadrants. Visit all you want and shop in each quad before you head to the next! *hint--start in the North area; East of the train station. Several Reasons: some of the outdoor markets close around 2pm,the cheapest food is in this area, and the San Marco Monastery with the wonderful frescos by Father Angelico closes at 1300! Don't miss the Medici Campanelle where the family is buried!I couldn't sneak any photo's for you because the security was too tight:) !

If you must take a bus, buy the tickets from the tobbacco shops in eather 1 hour single tickets up to multi-day passes.The only bus I recommend is #12 or #13 from the Pitti Palace that goes uphill to the Piazza Michelangelo. It's a nice walk down!

Long,Long ago....the baptistry was a pagan temple, before it too, was converted around the 5th century. The octagon shape symbolizes the " eigth day". Since Genesis in the Bible addresses the 7 days of cretion, the eigth day is the time of the Risen Christ....or beyond the scope of human time.

Originally a cemetery surrounded this building, which must have been very impressive in the theme of death and resurrection as well as salvation through baptism.

The famous bronze doors (- the oldest ones on the south side show the life of St. John & were created by Pisano in 1330. The Ghiberti doors are on the East and North. The East doors were called the " gates of Paradise" by Michelangelo while the North doors show the new testament -) are fabulous copies, while the originals are kept safe in the museum.

The interior of the building is a cross-combination of ancient Greek, Roman, Islamic, and Germanic styles indicating that this place is the center of the religious world. The mosaics will leave you speachless! The Risen Christ is a huge focal point with the dead rising from their coffins under his feet. To the right, you will see the damned being thrown into hell and being devoured in the mouth of the devil. Pretty impressive as well as gross!

Regroup your thoughts looking further down the dome to the creation of the world and the garden of Eden as the bible unfolds above you. Above these rows are the Angels of GOD who watch over all of us, while in the center of the room is the great light--symbol of GOD HIMSELF.

You might ask me...who is the guy buried in the wall here? Well, it's another interesting story! He was an Antipope. It's kind of a long story about fighting within the church itself...like where should the center of the church be? Rome, Constantinople, France??? Over 30 Antipopes arose to be called the "Illegal Pretenders" who weren't rightfully elected by canon law. This was an ugly thing that caused many splits within the church. I'm not sure which one this guy is....probably GregoryV1 or ClementV11. It's more important to know that this division occured.

The word " Duomo" comes from the Latin word "Domus" or house. This means that this church is every persons home regardless of your beliefs. It is a Catholic invitation for all to come and find reflection and peace inside. You really should take your time...heck...it took over 170 years to build this place so don't be in a rush !

The exterior reminds me of a whipped creme torte with pistachio and strawberry filling. The dome is one of the very largest in the world, and if you are in marathon shape (or just plain stupid!) you can climb to the highest point in Florence.

Once you enter the church, you will be struck by it's immense interior. If you get on over to Santa Croce (and you would be silly not to!) you will notice that both buildings look similiar. Since they were both designed by Arnolfo Di Cambio, it is no wonder.

I don't know how people pray here. I was far too busy looking around with my mouth open to concentrate on prayer. Maybe you get used to this fabulous scene? First, look down at the intricate geometric patterns and multiple ways that the marble floor has been lain. I WANT THIS!! I don't have a clue where I would put it, but that is beside the point! If you take the time to view the busts and paintings along the wall; you wil find Dante and Giotta and other civic guys. I couldn't concentrate (as I've said before) because that huge dome, now seen from underneath with every inch covered in 3-dimensional frescos, pulled me like a magnet to the center of the church! The very top of the dome shows the judges of the Apocalypse. They appear to be in a palace (in heaven, of course) looking over the balcony down to the world and hell beyond. I liked the one guy who sits on the railing with his leg dangling casually over the side. When you stand under him, you get the feeling that the leg is truly suspended in free space above you! After them are the angels with Mary and the saints in the next row below that. Virtue's are in the next row with HELL below that. It doesn't take a baseball bat over the head to get the idea of being virtuous....OR ELSE... hell is waiting to punish the wicked! Hey, I plan on being a good girl, since none of this damnation stuff is very appealing to me! If you can close your mouth long enought, be sure to look at Donatello's stained glass windows! In the south aisle is a stairway that leads down to the excavation of the older church--called Santa Reparata---that was on this site first.

Construction began on Santa Croce in 1294 and is a " Who's-Who" list for those buried inside along the walls and in the floor. You try to hopscotch around being respectful not stepping on anyone, but this was a hip place to spend eternity...so it is literally " standing room only!"

As you enter, Michelangelo's tomb is the first on your right. The life size figures of the muses of painting, sculpture, and architecture are draped in mourning around the brown marble sarcophagus. Don't be fooled- his last name was " Buonarroti" and he lived until 1564....keep this date in mind for later! Next,is the tomb of Dante who was another character who tended to enjoy getting into trouble. His problems arose when he decided to cross Pope Bonifacio. As expected, the Pope won, and Dante was in very hot water! First, he was sentenced to a fine and given a sentence of 2 years in exile. Seems like a better choice than being burned at the stake....but Dante was a man of strong convictions so he refused to pay the fine. This wasn't very smart, because that got him a death penalty which forced Dante to run away. He died in Ravenna in 1321 and was buried there. Fickle Florence continued to mourn their nativeson, and petitioned another pope ( not the one Dante pissed-off) to strongarm the city of Ravenna into returning the body for burial. You've gotta love the typical Italian response...which was "KISS OFF!" To this day, the two cities continue to fight for the poets remains but he ain't in Santa Croce!

The last tomb on the North wall is my favorite story. Galileo was born in 1564. Michelangelo died within an hour of Galileo's birth. People in Florence will tell you that the genius sculpter wasn't ready to die, because he needed to teach the world more...so he was reincarnated into Galileo. These giants are directly across the hall from each other.Galileo's tomb was suppose to have 3 muses too... for math,astronomy, and Philosophy. The church didn't like the Philosophy part...so instead the old guy is perched in the middle holding his beloved telescope. His hand rests on the earth which sits on open books. This stands for many things...the fact that he was an avid teacher, he studied all through his life, and that a philosopher is a man of books ! See? They snuck that philosophy in! The diagram of our solar system also shows the SUN in the middle.

One of his students spent his whole life trying to vindicate Galileo. On his death, his family continued the "cause" for 95 years. When the church relinquished it's position, Galileo was moved along with his beloved daughter ( Sister Celeste) and his student who are buried in the tomb with him. These people endured hell on earth supporting freedom of speach and education.

Entrance fee of $8,000L ($4.00us)

The reason the palace is called the Pitti Palace is because the first owner (a banker) was named Luca Pitti who began construction in 1418. The Medici's bought the property in 1550 after the marriage of the very beautiful Eleonora of Toldeo to Cosimo. You can see a painting of Eleonora in a beautiful dress in the Uffizi Museum. Somebody opened her tomb, and she was buried in the same outfit! When she was reburied the dress appeared at the costume museum here. I'd be really ticked-off if I was her! There's no doubt I'd be haunting whoever made that decison!

Anyhow, it was Eleonora's influence that created the gardens in the first place. I can just hear her saying " Honey??? Don't you think a grotto would look lovely off to the left?"

Of course, Big Dog Cosimo wanted the best, so he hired Niccolo Pericoli who was a rival of Michelangelo. What is important for you to remember is that this design is the very basis of every single royal garden in Europe...including Versaille! The original design had the grande Grotto, the fountains and statues designed by Ammannati, the stone amplitheater used for plays and concerts, the cypress alley known as the " Vittalone", the garden of the knights where the porcelein museum now resides, and the pond of Isolotto. Later additions (1700's) were the coffee house, the lemonary, and the lawn of columns.

The gadens were not opened to the public until Pietri Leopoldo followed the French habit in 1776. Guess he didn't want heads to roll in Italy? What a treat to wander the 14 ft. tall maze on a warm spring day! Grab a latte at the coffee house and enjoy the expansive lawn that frames the panoramic view of Florence beyond. On a sunny day you can see snow on the mountains beyond. Climb the steps to the Knights garden and sit for awhile on the low wall of the formal garden to view the green rolling hills beyond. Once warmed by the sun, we headed to the shady cypress alley that will give you virtego as you look down it. I walked in and out of the arched grapevine alleys that flank the walk down to the pond of Isolotto which is a feast for the eyes, and then circled back to the Grande Grotto.

This church and the cloister were built by the whip-bearing Dominican's in the 13th century, who had to enlarge the square out front to accomadate all those who wanted to strip and flog each other during the inquisition. One of the most vocal of the leaders/finger-pointers/tattletales ended up with an axe in his head. Guess he crossed the wrong person?

All in all it was a good thing that this church emmerged as fine as it did due to the common sense of the rest of Florence! It's safe to visit here now....I didn't even get a feeling of bad karma.

You should visit, if nothing else to take in the frescos that are just glorious and completely surround the altar and it's small dome. The Altar is quite a lovely piece and the paintings hung all over are by the usual Renassaince club of Florence. (Sorry, you see the same names over and over and one gets jaded after a few days!) Don't miss the Trinity by Masaccio (1427).

I like to write about places that others seem to pass over or touch on lightly and the Galleria Dell Accademia and the church Ognissanti fall into this category. Since the Galleria has tight security against taking pictures, I'll combine these two together for you!

OGNISSANTI- located on the Borgo Ognissanti to the West of town and North of the river this church is free and open from 8-12 and 4-7, unless services are in progress.

It was founded in the 13th centruy by monks who developed a wool trade and became very wealthy in the process. They built this church, the monestery, 30 houses for the wool workers, and the bridge to the West to move their merchandise quicker. These guys were so wealthy, they could afford to hire great painters/sculpters like Ghirlandaro, Botticelli, and Giotto. This was also the home parish of the wealthy merchant family..the Vespucci's. Does the name Amerigo Vespucci ring a bell? Mapmaker and explorer extraordinare after which America is named? The second naive off the central altar is the Vespucci chapel. Inside is a painting called "Maddona del la Misericordio" by Bottecelli. In this painting a boy dressed in pink happens to be peeking around a man's cloak. This boy happens to be a very young Americus! Kneeling below the Virgins left hand is his cousin and the very beautiful mistress of Medici. If you go to the Uffizi museum you will see another painting of her ( also done by Bottecelli) called " the Birth of Venus." Who knew that Venus was a Vespucci?

GALLERIA DELL'ACCADEMIA- open 9-7pm, tues-sat & 9-2 Sun. $ 15,000 Lire admission ($ 7.50us)
This is the first art school founded in Europe in the year 1563. As you enter, the rape of the Sabines will be infront of you. It is quite an impressive and powerful piece that can be viewed from any direction. Makes you want to rescue the poor damsal in distress. turn to the left and follow the corridor around to the unfinished works of Michelangelo. They are quite impressive, and I like them better than some of his " finished" pieces! There's something painful or powerful about looking at the human form trying to struggle it's way out of the hard stone. Did you know that Michelangelo always worked his pieces from the central abdomen and worked his way out?

David will beckon to you from down the hall as he is bathed in bright white light...but take your time and really absorb the power of these pieces. I know that David with those pretty curls,that sweet face, the bulging tight muscles with the veins popping causes quite a commotion. You know what though? His hands and feet are just too big for my tastes! Notice, I don't complain about any of his other anatomical points???

In the same room there is a collection of religious art. To the right of David is a piece where Christ is being taken down off the cross. I dare you to try and breath while you look at it! This painting takes you to the very moment of that last breath. I also want you to notice the exhaustion and defeat...or is it relief on the face of Christ?? You tell me !

If you take a left to the next room, you will enter the plaster cast room of very famous marble sculpters. Notice the multiple black pinpoints on each piece? These are marks left to measure from, so that each piece can be copied. This room is packed with Bottocelli women and children! He really knew and understood the female form where the great Michelangelo's women always look masculine and too bulky.