Florence

Today was Firenze—the Cradle of the Renaissance. It lies along the banks of the Arno River which runs through it. Florence was built on the site of an Etruscan settlement which became the Roman colony of Florentia in 59 B.C.E. During the Medici period of the 15^th and 16^th centuries, it became a symbol of the Renaissance.

Our first stop was an overlook where we could see the whole city. Then we were dropped off at the bus loading zone along the Arno where we began our walking tour. We walked along the Via dei Martello, past several old “palaces”—homes of the wealthy of the Middle Ages. We passed one there Leonardo had lived, commemorated by a plaque on the façade.

We were able to tour the cathedral with its Uccello frescos and sculptures by Michelangelo and Donatello. The cathedral is a typical Gothic structure dedicated to Santa Maria del Fiore. The church was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio (c1245-1302). Construction began in 1276 and finished around 1367. The dome by Brunelleschi was completed by 1436. The Cathedral was completely covered marble panels in green and pink bordered by white, like the earlier Baptistery.

The cathedral’s interior preserves very important works of art, lining the nave. One of the first to be seen on the left wall is a fresco by Domenico di Michelino entitled “Dante and Three Kingdoms.” To the left of the door is a mosaic by Nicolò Barbino entitled “Florentine Artisans Merchants, and Humanists Paying Homage to the Faith.” Paolo Uccello also created the frescos that surround the clock on the inside wall, showing four “Heads of Saints.” This clock whose hands move counter clockwise is the only one of its kind that is still working. At its center a golden star decorates the blue disc of the clock’s face. The heads of the four evangelists are encircled at each corner.

Most of the 44 stained-glass windows were made between 1434 and 1455 to the designs of famous artists like Donatello, Andrea del Castagno, and Paolo Uccello. The three rose windows, whose stained-glass pictures were designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti. The same artist who did the Baptistry Doors.

The vast dome is breath-taking. Its theme is “Universal Judgment.” About 38,750 square meters of frescos with 700 characters cover the dome. The internal walls were painted between 1572 and 1579 by Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574) and Federico Zuccari (c. 1990-1609) representing a large scene of the Final Judgment.

The bell tower by Giotto remains, together with the huge dome, one of the most striking views of the town. The famous painter, Giotto, was also the architect of the bell tower; although by the time of his death in 1337, only the lower part had been completed. The works continued under the direction of Andrea Pisano (1290-1349) and Francesco Talenti (1325-1369) who completed the project.

The final building in the piazza is the Baptistery. Construction began around the 4th century on the site of ruins of a Roman house. After being rebuilt several times, it was consecrated in 1059 by Pope Nicholas II. In 1128, it became officially the Baptistery of Florence. It is officially the Baptistery of St. John.

The South Doors depict 20 scenes from the life of John the Baptist. The North Doors have panels representing the Four Evangelists and Four Church Fathers. These are followed by 20 panels depicting the life of Christ. The East Doors depict stories from the Old Testament, starting with Adam and Eve and ending with the meeting of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

From the Piazza del Duomo, we went to the Piazza della Republica, one of the main squares in Florence. It has been the center of the city since Roman times. The Column of Abundance marks the point where the Roman forum stood. The present column dates from 1431. Here also sits a charming antique carousel. It has 20 horses and 2 Kings’ Carriages. It is run by Carlo Picci, a 4^th generation member of his family. Also in the piazza is a brass relief map of Florence, showing its historical layout. It is a useful guide for tourists find places they want to see in the city.

Close to the Piazza della Republica is the Piazza della Orsanmichele. Orsanmichele is a church that was built on the site of the kitchen garden of the monastery of San Michele. Leonardo worked here. It dates back to the 8^th century oratory or San Michele de Orto. It was demolished in 1239 and replaced by a loggia for the sale of grain built 1290. Between 1380 and 1404 what was once a grain market was converted into a church. In the niches on all sides of the oratory are sculptures of the patron saints of the guilds, dating between 1340 and 1602. They form a timeline of gothic and renaissance art. The first sculpture is of St. Stephen, created by Andrea Pisano in 1340; the last, St. Luke by Giambologna was completed over 260 years later. The interior has a beautiful altar and several pillars with frescos of various saints.

The ground floor is the Oratory of San Michele de Orto who is the patron saint of the Arts. The upper floor is now a museum with art and documents covering the history of the building.

Close to Orsanmichele is Dante’s House in the Piazza dei Donati. This dates from the 13^th century. This has been turned into a museum depicting three phases of his life. The first floor contains documents from 13^thcentury Florence. It is dedicated to the Guild of Physicians and Apothecaries of which Dante was a member. The second floor or Political Room has documents relating to his exile. The third floor focuses on his works and displays a diorama of the Divine Comedy.

From here we walked down Via del Cerchi and caught a view of Santa Margherita dei Cerchi Dante and Beatrice’s church. Legend says that Dante first saw Beatrice in this church. It was founded in 978 and is referenced in his Paridiso. Today, it still holds daily masses and vespers.

We ended our morning at the Uffizi Gallery in the Piazza della Signoria. The building was constructed between 1560 and 1580 and designed by Giorgio Vasari. It is renowned for its collections of paintings and sculptures from the 14^th century and Renaissance. Exploring this famous museum was one of our free time choices. The Piazza della Signoria has been the political center of Florence since the 14^th century. Not only is the Uffizi Gallery here, but also the Palazzo Vecchio with the Neptune Fountain, and the Loggia dei Lanzi. The Neptune Fountain was sculpted by Bartolomeo Ammannati and Giambologna between 1563-65. The Loggia adjoins the Uffizi with its wide arches. It was built between 1376 and 1382 is a fine example of Florentine Gothic architecture. It is known for its antique and Renaissance art collection.

After lunch, two of us took off to Ponte Vecchio—the bridge with shops. This Medieval stone bridge across the Arno dates from Roman times. It has been the location of silver and gold smiths since Fernando I evicted the butchers in the 16^th century. The Vasari Corridor runs above the bridge connecting Palazzo Vecchio with Piti Palace. Legend says that touching the bridge brings good luck. There are only 3 other bridges with shops in the world. One is in Bath, England which I have seen as well.

We strolled across the bridge, looking at the jewelery, and theb down the other side of the Arno. We re-crossed the Arno and went on to Santa Croce, Florence’s Westminster Abbey.

Santa Croce was rebuilt for the Franciscan order in 1294 by Arnolfo di Cambio. Its façade is of white, green, and pink Carrara marble. This is the largest Basilica in the world with sixteen chapels. We saw the tombs of Machiavelli, Galileo, and Michelangelo, which have given the basilica the name “Temple of the Italian Glories.” There is also a memorial to Dante. In addition to the tombs are wonderful frescos by Giotto, Gaddi, and Donatello among others. Legend has it that the church was founded by St. Francis himself. The floorplan is that of an Egyptian cross, a symbol of St. Francis. The nave is 377 ft. long.

The Chancel is decorated with frescos by Angelo Gaddi depicting the Legend of the True Cross, dating from 1380-1390. The stained glass is by Taddeo Gaddi from the same period.