10/28/22 Florence, Italy

Day 10 10/28 Friday Travel to Florence for a sightseeing tour of the city at the center of the Renaissance. 

 Visit the legendary Florence Cathedral, known as the Duomo.  Via della Canonica, 1, Piazza del Duomo, Firenze, IT 50122.  Renaissance dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. (his statue outside to right). Exterior covered with decorative mix of pink, white and green marble.  Main attraction - mosaic pavements.  Inside church entrance, note the 1443 clock, day ends at sunset.  Giorgio Vasari designed frescoes of the Last Judgment (1572-79) that adorn the dome.   Climb 463 steps to the top of Brunelleschi’s Cupola to see Last Judgment up close (RESERVATION).   Continue higher for views of city.  Three frescoes alongside the left nave of the cathedral. Gothic structure.  Crypt from 7th century.  Visit Baptistery and Museo dell’ Opera del Duomo.  

Duomo

 

Giotto’s Campanile (1334-1359),  below.  a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, free-standing bell tower.  47.41 ft. sides.  277.9 ft tall.  polygonal buttresses on each corner.  7 bells.  Seven hexagonal panels with sculpted reliefs, lower level - history of man.  Second level has diamond shape tiles with blue Majolica background.  Lozenges - next level marble figures.  Donatello’s life-size statues in the niches.  Top three levels have large windows.  Climb 414 steps to the terrace top for views of the city.   

****Walk past the Piazza della Republica (city square, 3 cafes) to the medieval Ponte Vecchio closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River.  (former butchers, tanners, farmers; now jewelers, art dealers, souvenirs).  Bridge is packed by midday, go early.  

Stroll along the Arno River (River in Tuscany region of Italy).   Pass through the courtyard of theUffizi Gallery (Art gallery many Italian Renaissance works). toPiazza della Signoria, center of Florentine life, a W shaped square in front of Palazzo Vecchio.  Political focus of the city.  14th -century, crenellated tower.  Framed by old buildings. Art.

Oltrano other side of the Arno river.  Fewer crowds.  Great cafes.  Excellent food options.  San Frediano area and Santo Spirito. Stroll along the Arno River.

Giotto's Campanile

Bapistery- Above the doors, three different groups of statues stood.  Today, copies stand above the doors and originals are relocated to Opera del Duomo Museum
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Ponte Vecchio with shops on the inside walkway

Street performer

Giotto's Campanile

Eastern doors to Bapistery are considered the “Gates of Paradise”.  Ten rectangular panels depict scenes from the Old Testament. 

The Baptistery is the oldest religious site in all of Florence.  Dedicated to Florence's patron saint, has an octagonal plan and an octagonal lantern with a cupola. Outside it is clad in geometrically patterned colored marble, white Carrara marble and green Prato marble that is typical of Florentine Romanesque architecture.  The 13th century mosaics line the cupola and see monumental tomb of Baladassare Cossa.  Doors of the Baptistery depict scenes of St. John’s life (28 quatrefoil panels), and stories of The Life and Passion of Christ.  There was a contest to determine who would design the doors.