And so it was that on this day in Florence in July of 1737, a day which I imagine would have been oppressive and hot as summer days can be in Tuscany, the last ruling member of the Medici family, Grand Duke Gian Gastone, died. He had been a poor representation of the once-great Medici … Continue reading
Category Archives: Art, History & Culture
Ghosts of Florence and Other Spooky Spots in Italy
Although I have thankfully never encountered a ghost during my late-night/early-morning wanderings, in a country as old as Italy they are bound to be there, lurking in shadowed vicoli (alleys), peering down from finestre (windows), nascosto in piena vista (hiding in plain sight). Such is the case for these popular spots for visitors to Florence…perhaps you’ve “haunted” some … Continue reading
Gone But Not Lost: The Bridges of Florence during World War II
By late July of 1944, Allied forces were very close to liberating Florence from the Nazis, who had occupied the city for the past year. “The Allied forces are advancing on Florence,” warned thousands of leaflets dropped by American planes. “The city’s liberation is at hand. Citizens of Florence, you must unite to preserve your … Continue reading
22 Terms To Better Appreciate Italian Art and Architecture
Terms curated and defined by Alexandra Kiely, A Scholarly Skater My love for Italian art and architecture is undeniable, but also, untrained. Often I have felt guilty at the blessings of being exposed to the beauty of Italian museums and buildings without the knowledge to better appreciate it all. Thus, I decided to “home school” myself … Continue reading
A Home for the Italian Language
On the outskirts of Florence sits Villa di Castello, country home of Cosimo I de’ Medici (1519-1574), Grand Duke of Tuscany. Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and Primavera once adorned the walls of the villa, and Castello’s elaborate garden — renowned throughout Europe — influenced other famous gardens including Florence’s Boboli Gardens. Villa di Castello has seen … Continue reading
Churches of Florence: A Love Story, Part Two
“I never weary of great churches. It is my favorite kind of mountain scenery. Mankind was never so happily inspired as when it made a cathedral.” — Robert Louis Stevenson Like many who have fallen for Italy, I too never weary of churches. I am not shy in professing my love of all things Duomo, but, a dire … Continue reading
Born at Christmas
nativity: the process or circumstances of being born; especially, capitalized: the birth of Jesus. The Italian verb nascere means to be born. Like many words across many languages, nascere was “birthed” from Latin, its meaning connected to the English word nativity: Nativity is one of many words born of the Latin verb nasci, which means “to be born.” The … Continue reading
