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This morning was our only real time in Florence, but like always, we managed to fit quite a bit in. We began with a guided tour of the Academy, where Michelangelo’s David as well as the unfinished Pieta and the 4 “prisoners” (unfinished sculptures) are kept. We were the first group admitted to the gallery, and so really got to enjoy it. We had a very good Italian tour guide. She’s probably seen the David three thousand times, and yet I think she gets excited about it every time. She was very knowledgeable and had us stand at different points all around the room to appreciate different aspects of the work. It was stunning. I don’t think I had had a proper idea of how huge it was, despite studying it fairly thoroughly in art classes. We could not take pictures in the gallery, but I don’t think it matters. This is a sculpture which can only be really seen in person- no picture can capture the dimensions or the living warmth and movement he has birthed from a block of cool, hard marble.
There was also a special exhibit of baroque instruments, which was a very pleasurable bonus.
There were the most ornate instruments I had ever seen, including a piano and guitar made out of marble.
After this we had a walking tour of the city. We were very glad for the guide because we would have been lost in minutes, I’m sure. The city does not seem an easy one to navigate. First we went to see Our Lady of the Flowers, with the huge dome designed by Brunescelli. It was so different than any of the churches or cathedrals we’d seen up to this point, the outside covered in coloured marble and ornate decorations. We did not get to go inside, but I hear that it is quite plain within, like a jewel box. The idea was that the saints did not want to be distracted when they prayed, so the inside was not overly decorative. But they did want to build the best they could for God, and so the finery was reserved for the outside.
We walked through narrow streets in the historical centre of Florence, including the street where Dante was born. There was a tower in that area that was over 2000 years old. We eventually made our way
to Santa Croix, the magnificent church where Machiavelli, Dante, Michaelangelo (with his family), Rossini and Galileo are all buried. It is a Florentine gothic church, and fresco once covered all the walls of the inside. There are only small sections of recovered fresco now, the rest being whitewashed. During the plague the church was turned into a hospital, and once the plague had passed they needed to clean the church. The only way to properly clean the walls was to white wash the entire thing. The church went through farther trauma on November 4, 1966 when the whole historic centre of Florence was flooded in hours with 13 feet of water. Many of the paintings suffered serious water damage, a couple of which have recently been restored.
After the tour we had some free time to shop and eat lunch before getting on the bus for Rome.
Rome has completely astounded us. I just can’t believe that this city exists, today, and that people are living and working in it (3.5 million, in fact). We got off the bus and started a guided walking tour straight away. We were led around narrow and winding streets, only just dodging smart
cars and motorcycles at every turn, when all of a sudden, emerging from a small alley full of shops and cafes, we came upon the Pantheon. Or perhaps the Pantheon came upon us, it’s hard to say. No amount of studying photos can prepare one for this place. It was the biggest dome in Europe until the 20th century, and they’re still not sure how they did it. The building has actually been converted into a Catholic church, St. Mary of the Martyrs, which I was not aware of, but since the blessed sacraments are only there on Saturdays and Sundays, people are free to come and go freely throughout the rest of the week.
After the Pantheon we were guided around more back streets of Rome, learning about many hidden treasures that we never would have even known to look for on our own. We spent some time in Piazza Novella where we had dinner before moving on to see the elegant government square, designed by Michelangelo and where the city hall sits. Our guide led us beyond the square and to our great astonishment, the ancient Roman forum was before us- ruins dating back to 700 BC
that were built upon and used as the city political and religious centre until the fall of Rome. To think of Cicero delivering one of his famous orations and to look upon the burial place of Julius Caesar was surreal to say the least.
Beyond all this we drove around the Vatican, Castle of the Holy Angel, Justice Palace, and the National Monument. Not bad for our first few hours in Rome…
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Leslie Ann
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I love Italy
Wow .... Erica and Julia, the pictures in word and photo are amazing! Brings back many wonderful memories. Italy is so rich in history and art ....... enjoy. PS Sharon, I miss your giggle!