Florence Day 2

Perseus With the Head of Medusa

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Perseus With the head of Medusa. Bronze sculpture by Benvenuto Cellini (1545) in the Loggia dei Lanzi. "...on the left, Perseus with the head of the Medusa, in bronze, the masterpiece of Benvenulo Cellini (1553), who also executed the statuettes and bas-reliefs of the pedestal ... behind it the Rape of Polyxena, a large group in marble by Pio Fedi, erected in 1866".--Baedeker 1906. Historic Centre of Florence. UNESCO World Heritage. Inscribed in 1982. DSC_0213p1

The Bargello

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The Bargello. Built in 1255 as the town hall. It became the police headquarters and a prison. Adaptive reuse in 1865 as an art museum in which role it continues today. Via del Proconsolo, 4. Historic Centre of Florence UNESCO World Heritage site. "...the Gothic Palazzo del Podestà, commonly known as Il Bargello, begun in 1255 for the Capitano del Popolo, and from 1261 (?) the residence of the Podestà, or chief magistrate of Florence. The building was repeatedly damaged by riots, fire (1332), and water (1333) during the 14th century. From 1674 it served as a prison and seat of the head of the police (Bargello). The oldest part of the building, towards the Via Proconsolo, is of ashlar, the upper story and the extension towards the E. (1333-45) are of rough, unhewn stone. Between 1857 and 1865 the imposing structure was judiciously restored by Franc. Mazzei and fitted up for the National Museum (Museo Nazionale), illustrative of the mediaeval and modern history of Italian culture and art. It contains several admirable Renaissance bronzes and marbles".--Baedeker 1906. DSC_0232

Palazzo Gondi

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Palazzo Gondi. Built in 1481 by Giuliano da Sangallo. Restored in 1874. Piazza San Firenze. "No. 1, on the W. side of this Piazza, is the Palazzo Gondi, begun about 1490 by Giuliano da Sangallo, and remodelled in 1874 by Poggi, with a rustica façade tapering towards the top and a handsome court".--Baedeker 1906 Historic Centre of Florence. UNESCO World Heritage. Inscribed in 1982.DSC_0238

Palazzo dell'Antella

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Palazzo dell'Antella. Niccolò dell'Antella commissioned the repainting of the façade in 1619-1620 with mythological and allegorical frescoes by a group of artists. In the centre is a bust of Cosimo II de' Medici. Adaptive reuse as shops and apartments. Piazza Santa Croce, 20-23. "To the right (No. 23) is the Palazzo dell' Antella (1620), with a façade decorated with frescoes which were executed within the short space of 27 days by Giovanni da San Giovanni and twelve other masters".--Baedeker 1906 Historic Centre of Florence. UNESCO World Heritage. Inscribed in 1982. DSC_0252

Basilica di Santa Croce

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Basilica di Santa Croce. The facade was faced in marble in 1863 from a design by Cronaca. Piazza di Santa Croce, 16. "The Gothic church of Santa Croce, the largest church belonging to any of the mendicant orders, was begun in 1294, from a design by Arnolfo di Cambio, for the Franciscans, who at that time were the popular favourites among the monkish bodies. It was completed in 1442, with the exception of the unattractive façade, which was executed in 1857-63 by Niccolò Matas, at the expense of Mr. Francis Sloane (d. 1871), from the old design said to be by Cronaca".--Baedeker 1906 Historic Centre of Florence. UNESCO World Heritage. Inscribed in 1982. DSC_0246p1

Cenotaph of Dante Alighieri

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Basilica di Santa Croce. Cenotaph of Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) installed in 1829. Beyond the second altar, Monument to Dante (interred at Ravenna), with the inscription 'Onorate l'altissimo poeta!', by Stefano Ricci (1829)".--Baedeker 1906 Historic Centre of Florence. UNESCO World Heritage. Inscribed in 1982. DSC_0255

Tomb of Michelangelo Buonarroti

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Basilica di Santa Croce. Tomb of Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564). Michelangelo's monument was designed by Giorgio Vasari. The bust is by Battista Lorenzi. The statues represent Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. On the right, beyond the first altar, Tomb of Michael Angelo, whose remains repose below it (d. at Rome, 1564), erected in 1570 after Vasari's design, the bust by Battista Lorenzi, the fine figure of Architecture (on the right) by Giovanni dall' Opera, Painting and Sculpture by Lorenzi and Valerio Cioli.--Baedeker 1906 Historic Centre of Florence. UNESCO World Heritage. Inscribed in 1982.DSC_0258

Tomb of Galileo Galilei

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Basilica di Santa Croce. Tomb of Galileo Galilei (1564-1642). Galileo's monument was made by Giovanni Battista Foggini in 1737. "Near the entrance, monument of Galileo Galilei (d. 1642), by G. B. Foggini".--Baedeker 1906 Historic Centre of Florence. UNESCO World Heritage. Inscribed in 1982. DSC_0260

Pulpit

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Basilica di Santa Croce. Pulpit carved in marble by Benedetto da Maiano (c. 1475) with scenes from the life of St Francis. "Marble Pulpit, by the pillar to the left, by Benedetto da Maiano (ca. 1475), described as 'the most beautiful pulpit in Italy'. The five reliefs represent the Confirmation of the Franciscan Order, the Burning of the books, the 'Stigmata', the Death of St. Francis, and Execution of brothers of the Order; below are statuettes of Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, and Justice".--Baedeker 1906 Historic Centre of Florence. UNESCO World Heritage. Inscribed in 1982. DSC_0262

Statue of Dante

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Statue of Dante. Sculpted by Enrico Pazzi in 1865 to celebrate the 600th anniversary of Dante's birth. Piazza Santa Croce. "In the spacious Piazza di Santa Croce rises Dante's Monument, by Enrico Pazzi, inaugurated with great solemnity on the 600th anniversary of the birth of the great poet (b. 1265), 14th May, 1865. It consists of a white marble statue 19 ft. in height, on a pedestal 23 ft. high, the corners of which are adorned with four shield-bearing lions with the names of his four most important works after the Divina Commedia: the Convito, Vita Nuova, De Vulgari Eloquio, De Monarchia. Round the pedestal below are the arms of the principal cities of Italy".--Baedeker 1906 Historic Centre of Florence. UNESCO World Heritage. Inscribed in 1982. DSC_0254p1

Galleria degli Uffizi

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Galleria degli Uffizi signage. DSC_0273

Ponte Vecchio

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Ponte Vecchio across the Arno, built in 1345. Along the top of the bridge is the Corridio Vasariano, constructed in 1565 to enable the Medicis to walk between the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace. View from Galleria degli Uffizi. Historic Centre of Florence. UNESCO World Heritage. Inscribed in 1982. "The Ponte Vecchio, which is said to have existed as early as the Roman period, and was finally rebuilt, after its repeated demolition, by Taddeo Gaddi in 1345, consists of three arches ... The quaint and picturesque Ponte Vecchio over which the covered passage is carried, forms the most direct communication between the Piazza della Signoria, with the Uffizi, and the Palazzo Pitti. The bridge is flanked with shops, which have belonged to the goldsmiths since the 14th century".--Baedeker 1906. DSC_0277

Piazza della Repubblica

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Piazza della Repubblica and the Arcone. (Originally Piazza Vittorio Emanuele.) The square was laid out in 1888-1895 to replace the Mercato Vecchio (site of the Roman Forum). The Colonna dell'Abbondanza (Column of Abundance) at the right is a 1956 replica of the 1431 column by Giovanni Battista Foggini. "The uninteresting new Piazza Vittorio Emanuele now forms the focus of the Centra and is especially animated in the evening. It occupies part of the site of the Roman Forum, which afterwards became the market-place. ... On the W. side of the piazza is a portico with an imposing arch forming the entrance to the Via degli Strozzi, with its shops".--Baedeker 1906. DSC_0292

Torre della Serpe

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Torre della Serpe. Corner tower in the 12th century city wall of Florence. Note crenelated top. DSC_0295p1

Crossing the Arno on Ponte alla Vittoria

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Porta Romana

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Porta Romana (1327) and part of the adoining 14th century city wall of Florence. DSC_0301p1

Certosa del Galluzzo

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Certosa del Galluzzo - Charterhouse of Ema at Galluzo. The abbey was founded in 1341 as a Carthusian monastery. In 1957, a group of Cistercian friars replaced the Carthusian monks as the inhabitants of the Certosa. "On the hill of Montacuto, which is clothed with cypresses and olive-trees, at the confluence of the Ema with the Oreve and 5 min. above the road, rises the imposing Certosa di Val d'Ema (375 ft.). The monastery was founded in 1341 by Niceolo Aceiaioli, a Florentine who had settled at Naples and there amassed a large fortune by trading".--Baedeker 1906. DSC_0310p1

Mediterranean Salad

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Mediterranean Salad at Ristorante Boccadama. Piazza di Santa Croce, 25/26r. IMG_0283