Elegant Florence

Lovely Florence, cultured and elegant, full to the brim with artworks of global significance, peaceful and residential. First, a geographical and historical context for what I experienced: Florence  is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence.

 Situated on the Arno River, it is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area. It was known as accommodating the most powerful Italian bankers.
Florentines financed the development of industry all over Europe, from Britain to Bruges, to Lyon, to Hungary. They financed the English kings during the Hundred Years War. They financed the papacy, including the construction of the papal palace in Avignon and the reconstruction of St. Peters and the Vatican when the papacy returned to Rome.

 During this time, the Dominican monk Girolamo Savonarola had become prior of the San Marco monastery in 1490. Known for penetential sermons and stirring up trouble  He blamed the exile of the Medicis as the work of God, punishing them for their decadence. He seized the opportunity to carry through political reforms leading to a more democratic rule. But when Savonarola publicly accused Pope Alexander VI (Roderigo Borgia) of corruption, he was banned from speaking in public. When he broke this ban, he was excommunicated. The Florentines, tired of his extreme teachings, turned against him and arrested him. He was convicted as a heretic and burned at the stake on the Piazza della Signoria on 23 May 1498.

The emblem on the corner of this building is Medici showing a pope's 'tiara' at the top. This family contributed two popes.

The Medici's who governed Florence for a couple of hundred years changed the world. Forget all the art for which they paid. They taught first the other Italians how to conduct state-craft, and then they taught the rest of the Europeans. Catherine de Medici (1519-1589), married Henry II of France. After he died, Catherine ruled France as regent for her young sons. She brought the Renaissance into France, introducing the chateaux of the Loire and even the fork. Her children included three kings of France, Francis II (ruled 1559-1560), Charles IX (ruled 1560-1574) and Henry III (ruled 1574-1589). Her children-in-law included a fourth king of France, Henry IV (ruled 1589-1610), plus Elizabeth of Hapsburg, Philip II of Spain (of Armada fame), and Mary Queen of Scots.

Florence is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance. It has some of the most important museums and art galleries in the world. How best to see all this? Well you can't on a short stay of less than 2 days, which is all we had but we had a good go at cramming in as much as we could. Our first glimpse of Florence was from the Piazzale Michelangelo.

Piazzale Michelangelo (Michelangelo square) plaza on a hilltop offers a great view of the city (go there by bus) or climb the stairs and paths from the Lungarno della Zecca.It's centred by a group of bronze figures cast from the original sculptures by Michelangelo (David etc). The day was hazy so the panorama was a bit muted. It had a calmnest and affluence missing in Rome.


Santa Croce Basilica is the largest Franciscan church in the world and contains the monumental tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Dante (cenotaph only), and many other notables in addition to artistic decorations. There is also great artwork in the church. This is a must do. Work was begun on the church in 1294 but it wasn't consecrated until 1443. Since that time there has been a bit of remodelling but the beauty remains. Donatello and Machiavelli are recognised. There are sixteen chapels, many of them decorated with frescoes by Giotto and his pupils. It's worth noting that you CAN take photos in here, unlike many Italian churches though bare shoulders are frowned on.



In 1966, the Arno River flooded much of Florence, including Santa Croce. The water entered the church bringing mud, pollution and heating oil. The damage to buildings and art treasures was severe, taking several decades to put right.
 
Piazza Signoria has lots of cafes surrounding the plaza, but what makes Piazza Signoria special is the abundance of statues. The statues represent antique renaissance art including a copy of Michael Angelo’s David. There's also the Neptune fountain shown here. Just along from Neptune is a bronze of Cosimo I de Medici on horseback (1594). This square is surrounded by old palaces.
 
 Ponte Vecchio the oldest and most famous bridge over the Arno; the only Florentine bridge to survive WW2. The Ponte Vecchio is lined with shops, traditionally mostly jewellers since the days of the Medici and during high season you can hardly find space to stand. Although it's famous it's best viewed from a distance and doesn't contain shops suitable for most tourists.

Uffizi Gallery is one of the most famous fine art museums with collections of Renaissance paintings and sculptures from classical antiquity. Included is The Birth of Venus by Sandro Boticelli.It didn't impress me. Its colours are not vivid. In fact by this time I was pretty blase standing in front of a da Vinci or Botticelli, or Lippi or Raphael.

In the 16th century, during the Renaissance, Florence was the hometown of political writer and philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli, whose ideas on how rulers should govern the land, detailed in The Prince (some say modelled on Cesare Borgia), spread across European courts and enjoyed enduring popularity for centuries. These principles became known as Machiavellianism. 


The spiritual focus of the city is the Cathedral and Piazza of Santa Maria del Fiore, with Giotto's campanile on one side and the Baptistry of St John in front, with the Gates of Paradise by Lorenzo Ghiberti.
 
We didn't step inside the great Cathedral, no time. The campanile or bell tower is impressive and you can go up in it if you want to.


Palazzo Vecchio is another must see. It was begun in 1294 and intended as a palace-fortress. The clock mechanism dates from 1667. Near the doorway are marble statues to hold chains. There's also a copy of Michelangelo's David.
It is the Florence Town Hall and is one of the most significant public places in Italy. It's chocka with art commissioned by the Medicis, apartments and a magnificent meeting room of murals by Giorgio Vasari  - the Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of the Five Hundreds) - the hall which used to display the now lost Renaissance masterpiece Battaglia di Anghiari, by Leonardo da Vinci.

This is a treasure-trove of the best art, most impressive rooms and in such a great condition (for the most part. We did not see Donatello's Judith in bronze which has been restored but there's literally floor to ceiling beauty everywhere.

Next stop Venice.

Siena - body parts and all

Siena, like other Tuscan towns, was first settled in the time of the Etruscans (c. 900–400 BC), The Etruscans were an advanced people who changed the face of central Italy through their use of irrigation and their custom of building their settlements in well-defended hill forts. A Roman town called Saena Julia was founded at the site in the time of the Emperor Augustus. Siena has stories to tell.

The Piazza del Campo (a UNESCO World Heritage site)  is the main square, full of tourists and cafes and monument facades. it's also the site for the palio which is often briefly televised or shown on French News. It can be brutal as there are almost no rules and in the recent past there were issues of unfairness to the horses. The idea is to win at all costs and you can do what you like to push off your competition. The winner represents one of the 17 sections (contrades) of the city and gets a lot of money from that sector. The contrade has the right to display it's flag in all its streets (not the rest of the city). The other sectors do not display flags. There is no official prize for the winner, just the glory, but as I said their sector rewards a win generously; half a million euros was mentioned by our tour guide.
The Palio di Siena is a traditional medieval horse race run around the Piazza del Campo twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August. The event is attended by large crowds, and is widely televised. Seventeen Contrades (which are city neighbourhoods originally formed as battalions for the city's defence) vie for the trophy: a painted banner, or Palio bearing an image of the virgin or even a goose.

For each race a new Palio is commissioned by well-known artists and Palios won over many years can often be seen in the local Contrade museum. During each Palio period, the city is decked out in lamps and flags bearing the Contrade colours.

And then we get to the inevitable churches and this is where things get a bit bizarre.
Let's start with the basilica. The current church of San Domenico dates from 1226. From this church you have a good view of the Duomo (Cathedral) of Siena. About a block below the church is the "Santuario" which is a convent located on the sight of St. Catherine's home.

Forever linked to the veneration of Saint Catherine of Siena is the great Basilica of San Domenico. The head of the Saint, is kept on the altar in the Chapel of Saint Catherine, inside the Basilica of San Dominico. I guess it's in a casket because I didn't notice anything 'interesting'. I did see her finger which is on display in a glass jar. For goodness sake - I wasn't even convinced it was real - looked like a really bad mockup, low light levels, and so what if it is a finger.  Her body is buried in Rome. Back in those days, body parts were chopped up and distributed around churches to raise money from pilgrims/tourists. Some of these relics were not at all genuine. These days you are not allowed to sell viewings of body parts. All this sort of thing just irritates me. There are millions of good people in this world who have suffered and helped others every bit as much, probably more, than all these 'saints' but hey, it's all good publicity and revenue, right?

The Cathedral of Siena is a splendid example of its type and in good condition.I enjoyed the artworks in all dimensions, even the floor was a canvas. There are many references to Romulus and Reamus.

Adjoining the cathedral is the Piccolomini Library, housing precious illuminated choir books and frescoes painted by the Umbrian Bernardino di Betto, called Pinturicchio, probably based on designs by Raphael.

The visual impact of these very colourful frescoes is stunning. The frescoes tell the story of the life of Siena's favourite son, cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who eventually became Pope Pius II. He was the uncle of cardinal Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini (then archbishop of Siena and the future pope Pius III), who commissioned this library in 1492 as a repository of the books and the manuscript collection of his uncle. Not many words per page though. The ceiling is covered with painted panels of mythological subjects. They were executed between 1502 and 1503 by Pinturicchio. 

In the centre of the library is a statue of the Three Graces, a Roman copy of a Greek statue.
So Siena is worth a visit. No photos inside the Basilica though. In the last photo on this page you can see the bulky basilica of St Catherine in the distance. it's completely different to the elegant Cathedral with its dome. Both are worth seeing for their artistic merit though the basilica is rather plain inside.

Next stop Florence.

Perugia - chocolates and history

 Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the river Tiber. The city is also the capital of the province of Perugia. Perugia is located about 164 kilometres from Rome in the south, and 148 kilometres  from Florence in the north so it was a natural place to stayover between those two cities. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area. I found it a very

atmospheric town, not always clean or well-maintained but with an ancient soul. It's mostly peaceful to walk around here.

The lengthy history of Perugia goes back to the Etruscan period. Perugia was one of the main Etruscan cities. The city is also known as a university town, with the University of Perugia founded in 1308 (about 34,000 students), the University for Foreigners (5,000 students), and some smaller colleges such the Academy of Fine Arts "Pietro Vannucci" public athenaeum founded on 1573, the Perugia University Institute of Linguistic Mediation for translators and interpreters, the Music Conservatory of Perugia, founded on 1788, and others Institutes.

Cesare Borgia spent his formative educational years studying here before going to Pisa University to study theology.

At left is a detail above the door of San Bernadino.

There are annual festivals and events: the Eurochocolate Festival (October), the Umbria Jazz Festival (July), and the International Journalism Festival (in April).
Perugia has become famous for chocolate, mostly because of a single firm, Perugina, whose Baci (kisses) are widely exported. Perugian chocolate is very popular in Italy. The company's plant located in San Sisto (Perugia) is the largest of Nestlé's nine sites in Italy. According to the Nestlé Usa official website today Baci is the most famous chocolate brand in Italy. We saw examples of this but did not buy - too ephemeral and not cheap.

Fontana Maggiore, is a medieval fountain designed by Fra Bevignate and sculpted by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. It's interesting though not spectacular. It is very, very old.

On one of the main streets was a musician entertaining passersby. We stopped briefly to listen to him. You can listen too by visiting this YouTube video I made. http://youtu.be/gRtiPDGa0QQ


The Cathedral of San Lorenzo is worth a visit but you can't take photos inside. Oh well, it was only yet another church. After 4 you get a bit churched-out and by this stage we'd seen closer to 10 and counting.





There's a shady piazza near the top of the hill and along from a main street. Many locals were there reading newspapers, taking time out with the baby strollers. It gives you a lovely view over the town. Buy a Gelato, sit down and just soak in the atmosphere.


I enjoyed this town, marvelling at the ancient doors and windows still being used 600+ years after they were built.

Assisi and Saint Francis

 Saint Francis of Assisi. Most of us have heard of him but just what is Assisi? Assisi is a small Umbrian town in central Italy, located 19 km east of Perugia at an elevation of 1,300 feet (400 metres). Assisi is best known as the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi — patron saint of Italy, founder of the Franciscan order, and one of the most popular Catholic saints in history.



There are two parts to this town. The older Roman and medieval town on the hill and the newer but with old monuments beneath the hill. The Basilica of St Francis (San Francesco) is in the town on the bottom, the Basilica of St Clare is up the hill. Transport is best between the two. A very nice lunch is available at a restaurant surrounded by green space in the lower part of the town. In fact, it was the only one worth eating at in the entire trip.


The most important event in the history of medieval Assisi was undoubtedly the life and work of Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), who initiated the Franciscan Order and who was canonised in 1228. His companion, Clare, also later canonised, founded the sister order to the Franciscans. After the canonisation of St Francis, it was decided to build a monumental church in his honour. This construction was followed by the Basilica of Santa Chiara to honour St Clare.



The construction of the Basilica of San Francesco was started in 1228. The lower basilica is entered through an exquisite Gothic portal; the interior is completely covered with frescoes. The earliest of these date from 1253 and are by an unknown artist, the Maestro di San Francesco.



Furthermore, the paintings include allegories attributed to Giotto and his school in the presbytery, the Virgin with a Child on the Throne by Cimabue, and the Crucifixion by Giotto, the paintings by Pietro Lorenzetti and his assistants, and the Chapel of St-Martin by Simone Martini.


The upper basilica has a magnificent east front in white limestone, with a large rose window in the centre. In the interior, the walls are decorated with series of paintings relating to the faith and life of the saint.

The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi (St. Francis), a Franciscan monastery,and the lower and upper church (Italian: Basilica inferiore and Basilica superiore) of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonisation in 1228, and completed in 1253. The lower church has frescoes by the late-medieval artists Cimabue and Giotto; the upper church houses frescoes of scenes in the life of St. Francis previously ascribed to Giotto, but now thought to be by artists of the circle of Pietro Cavallini from Rome. The Basilica was badly damaged by an earthquake on 26 September 1997, during which part of the vault collapsed, killing four people inside the church and carrying with it a fresco by Cimabue. The edifice was closed for two years for restoration

The Santa Chiara Basilica (St. Clare) with its massive lateral buttresses, rose window, and simple gothic interior, begun in 1257, contains the tomb of St Clare (clearly on display with a manequin on top to look like her) and 13th‑century frescoes and paintings.




If you want a souvenir you'll find lots of cheap religious stuff, including little statues of St Francis for sale in the stalls in both the upper and lower town.

 
What I enjoyed: Lunch of two pasta courses, a meat course and a dessert; seeing the little church where St Francis started off (like a doll's house since he only had a handful of followers. It's inside the main church. The upper town itself is quaint and pleasant to walk through (steep in places though).


What I didn't like: being shown relics of St Clare reported to be her habit/clothing etc in the murky light. Oh yeah, I was so convinced they were genuine 600 year old sackcloth clothes still in excellent state with the fold marks (was that from ironing?) still very obvious. NOT. This whole scam of relics makes my blood boil. Yet another dishonest many-making venture of the church? I guess you have to make up your own mind on that.