Outside, the day was steamy and still, a typical late afternoon July day in Florence. But inside, ahhhh, inside the walls of San Miniato al Monte, which have stood watch over the Florentines since 1018 from one of the city’s highest points, inside was cool and subdued. We happened to wander in at 17:30, which, … Continue reading
In the Piazza del Duomo of Florence the main attraction is Santa Maria del Fiore, the city’s iconic red-domed cathedral. (If you look closely at the photo below, you can see the green and white marble of the church reflected in the shop window.) If you are a lover of books and the Italian language, … Continue reading
I keep expecting to tire of reading about Renaissance Florence, but thus far, that hasn’t happened. After writing my recent post on Renaissance reads, I was inspired to start the biography Leonardo: The Artist and the Man by Serge Bramly. Just a couple of chapters in, Bramly sets the stage of Florence at the time when … Continue reading
The peaceful garden of the Palazzo Medici Riccardi, in the golden light of a perfect fall day in Florence. Five quick facts about the palazzo: 1. The palazzo was commissioned by Cosimo the Elder — founder of the Medici bank and the patriarch of the political dynasty — in 1444. 2. An early design by … Continue reading
If this shot above were wider, then just a bit to the right you would see Florence’s iconic Duomo, capping the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Pictured here, however, a very similar-in-“miniature” dome graces the Cappella dei Principi (Chapel of the Princes), one of two structures comprising the Medici Chapels in the complex of the … Continue reading
Cheers to you all, friends. I hope 2017 is off to a beautiful start! Cin cin a tutti, amici! Spero che 2017 (due mila diciasette) comincia bellissimo! Continue reading
Florence makes my heart beat fast. For reasons which I’ve never fully understood, I feel actual love for this city, cradle of the Renaissance. I can’t get enough of it when I’m there; I ache for it when I’m gone. When in Florence, I rise with the sun and wander the streets just for the … Continue reading
