Firenza (Florence)
"Life wouldn't be
the same without Florence - literally. The city gave
birth to the Renaissance and, with it, to the spirit of the modern Western
world. The city, which graces the Arno River in central Italy's Tuscany
region, has captured the hearts and minds of just about every visitor who
has ever made his or her way here. It casts a spell in the way that few
cities can - perhaps because it's an artistic treasure trove of incomparable
proportions; perhaps because of the views of the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno
at sunset; perhaps because Florentine food and wine delight the palate.
Maybe it's because the city has not changed all that much since the 15th
century."
"Florence's sights
are easily walkable. Many of the artistic treasures
you'll want to see are concentrated in the relatively small centro storico
(historic center), stretching from Piazza del Duomo south to the Arno
River."
"BATTISTERO. In front
of the Duomo is the octagonal baptistery, one of the
city's oldest (modern excavations suggest its foundations date from the 4th
to 5th and the 8th to 9th centuries) and most beloved buildings, where since
the 11th century Florentines have baptized their children. The interior dome
mosaics are famous but cannot outshine the building's renowned gilded bronze
east doors (facing the Duomo). The work of Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378-1455),
dubbed the "Gates of Paradise" by Michelangelo (1475-1564), these
are the
most splendid of the Baptistery's three pairs of doors. They are, however, a
luminous copy of the originals, which are now on display in the Museo
dell'Opera del Duomo. "
"CAMPANILE. The Gothic
bell tower designed by Giotto (1266-1337) is a
soaring structure of multicolor marble originally decorated with reliefs
that are now in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. A climb of 414 steps rewards
you with a close-up of Brunelleschi's cupola on the Duomo next door and a
sweeping view of the city. Piazza del Duomo, centro storico, Florence. "
"DUOMO. The Cattedrale
di Santa Maria del Fiore, known as the Duomo, is
dominated by a cupola representing a landmark in the history of
architecture. The cathedral itself was begun by master sculptor and
architect Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296, and its construction took 140 years to
complete. Gothic architecture predominates; the facade was added in the
1870s but is based on Tuscan Gothic models. Inside, the church is cool and
austere, a fine example of the architecture of the period.
You can climb to the cupola
gallery, 463 exhausting steps up between the two
layers of the double dome, for a fine view. Piazza del Duomo, centro
storico. "
"GALLERIA DELL'ACCADEMIA
(Accademia Gallery). Michelangelo's David is a
tour de force of artistic conception and technical ability, for he was using
a piece of stone that had already been worked on by a lesser sculptor. "
In
addition, there is the " forceful Slaves, also by Michelangelo; their
rough-hewn, unfinished surfaces contrast dramatically with the highly
polished, meticulously carved David. Michelangelo left the Slaves
"unfinished," it is often claimed, to accentuate the figures' struggle
to
escape the bondage of stone. Actually, he simply abandoned them because his
patron changed his mind about the tomb monument for which they were planned.
"
"OLTRARNO. Take a
walk over the Ponte Vecchio to the Oltrarno - literally
"the other side of the Arno" - for a flavor of everyday Florentine
life. "
"PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA.
This is the heart of Florence and the city's largest
square. The square, the Fontana di Nettuno (Neptune Fountain) by Bartolommeo
Ammannati (1511-92), and the surrounding cafés are popular gathering
places
for Florentines and for tourists who come to admire the Palazzo della
Signoria (a.k.a. Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria,, the copy of
Michelangelo's David standing in front of it, and the sculptures in the
14th-century Loggia dei Lanzi. Centro storico, Florence.
"PONTE VECCHIO (Old
Bridge). Florence's oldest bridge appears to be just
another street lined with goldsmiths' shops until you get to the middle and
catch a glimpse of the Arno below. Spared during World War II by the
retreating Germans (who blew up every other bridge in the city), it also
survived the 1966 flood. It leads into the Oltrarno, where the atmosphere of
old-time Florence is preserved amid fascinating crafts workshops. Arno
River, between Ponte Santa Trinita and Ponte alle Grazie, centro storico. "