Italy 2012! - Buongiorno
Day 6 - Florence & Dinner in Fiesole

July 13, 2012

Rich's Hat on Hotel Sculpture? Walking from hotel to Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) The Cathedral of Florence Basilica di San Lorenzo (Basilica of St Lawrence) is one of the largest churches of Florence Piazza del Duomo Loggia del Bigallo, Piazza del Duomo, is on the corner of the street to the left Loggia del Bigallo Terry, Angela, and Lou at steps of Basilica Santa Maria del Fiore Terry, Angela, and Lou at steps of Basilica Santa Maria del Fiore Stand in one spot and pivot to see both buildings: Basilica Santa Maria del Fiore and San Giovanni Baptistery Two buildings across from one another: Basilica Santa Maria del Fiore and San Giovanni Baptistery Awestruck by beauty and size of buildings in Piazza del Duomo Monique gathers group Jim getting ready for tour Local Guide borrows Moniques' daisy Baptistery is one of Florence’s most important religious buildings, dedicated to her patron saint, John the Baptist Starting at San Giovanni Baptistery We can't go inside Octagonal Baptistery stands in both the Piazza del Duomo and the Piazza di San Giovanni One of the oldest buildings in the city, built between 1059 and 1128 The statues above the door of Paradise Andrea Sansovino - 1505 The Baptism of Christ The angel is a later work by Innocenzo Spinazzi Local guide does a headset check Let's start with the 10 panels of the Door of Paradise This copy of the door made from casts taken in 1948 was installed here in 1990 and the original panels have been exhibited inside the Museo dell´Opera del Duomo, after their restoration. The door name paradise stems from the fact that in the Middle Ages, every year during the procession dedicated to St.John the Baptist, the converts came to be anointed in the Baptistery just from that door and then earned the paradise. Left - The drunkenness of Noah Right - Abraham and Isaac Center - Esau and Jacob Door of Paradise Door of Paradise Local guide begins description of Santa Maria del Fiore Begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi Santa Maria del Fiore Main Portal \ Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (The main church of Florence, Italy) Rose Window, the central statue of Mary, and eight of the 12 statues of Apostles Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Giotto Campanile (Bell Tower 1334) Santa Maria del Fiore Giotto Campanile (Bell Tower 1334) Santa Maria del Fiore Giotto Campanile (Bell Tower 1334) Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Brunelleschi’s dome was inspired by the Dome of the Pantheon in Rome. The dome is built from stone and brick because the formula for concrete was lost in antiquity. He built it as a double-dome, with the interior resting on the drum using no additional support (no buttress or scaffolding were used). Santa Maria del Fiore Detail of the lunette, tympanum and tondo of this unique section of the facade. Note the empty niches beside the pediment. Santa Maria del Fiore This section of the facade uses some beautiful pink Rosa Perlino marble accents. Santa Maria del Fiore Central Lunette Mosaic (by Niccolo Barabino): “Christ Enthroned with Mary and St. John the Baptist” Santa Maria del Fiore Smaller Rosette Windows above the portals Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Pope Eugenius IV (1383-1447), who supported Florence against Milan and was also responsible for breaking the power of the Concilar movement. He also consecrated the Cathedral in 1436 Santa Maria del Fiore St. Antoninus (Antonio Pierozzi, Archbishop of Florence, 1389-1459), a gentle man of great humility who provided for the sick and needy, especially during the plague years of 1448 and 1449, the earthquake which followed in 1453, the cyclone in 1456, and the famine which followed. These were difficult years, and “Little Anthony” supported the people in every way possible. Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Paolo Uccello Clock Santa Maria del Fiore Enormous 24-hour clock with a single hand. It was made in 1443 and was painted with four frescoes of Prophets by Paolo Uccello Santa Maria del Fiore It is a liturgical clock, which calculates the 24 hours from Sunset the previous day, a timetable called hora italica (Italian time) which was used until the 18th century Santa Maria del Fiore This is one of the few clocks still in existence and in working order from that time, and one of the very few liturgical clocks. Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Down the nave to the altar Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Pink and red Rosa Perlino marbles used to make the floor (some of the marble from the 14th c. façade was used to create the floor) Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Filippo Brunelleschi's Dome Santa Maria del Fiore Filippo Brunelleschi's Dome Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Filippo Brunelleschi's Dome Santa Maria del Fiore Filippo Brunelleschi's Dome Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral has 44 stained glass windows by some of the finest artists of the Renaissance Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Florence Street Orsanmichele Christ and St. Thomas Orsanmichele St. Luke (right) Piazza della Signoria Palazzo Vecchio Entering Piazza della Signoria Piazza della Signoria Palazzo Vecchio Piazza della Signoria Palazzo Vecchio Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Piazza della Signoria Loggia di Lanzi Pio Fedi's The Rape of Polyxena Piazza della Signoria Loggia di Lanzi Giambologna's Rape of the Sabine Women Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Piazza della Signoria Loggia di Lanzi Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus with the Head of Medusa Piazza della Signoria Loggia di Lanzi Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus with the Head of Medusa Piazza della Signoria Loggia di Lanzi Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus with the Head of Medusa Vecchio Signoria Palace Bartolommeo Bandinelli's Hercules and Cacus Piazza della Signoria Vecchio Signoria Palace A reproduction of Michelangelo's statue David -- The original is housed in the Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze Piazza della Signoria Piazza della Signoria Piazza della Signoria Piazza della Signoria Giambologna's Cosimo I Medici Piazza della Signoria - Giambologna's Cosimo I Medici Head of the Florentine Republic in 1537 at the the tender age of seventeen and conquered his way to being named the Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1569 Piazza della SignoriaPalazzoVecchio2 Piazza della Signoria Bartolomeo Ammanti's Fountain of Neptune Piazza della Signoria Neptune Fountain Piazza della Signoria Neptune's Rear Piazza della Signoria Bartolomeo Ammanti's Fountain of Neptune Arno River Arno River River Arno and Ponte Vecchio River Arno and Ponte Vecchio River Arno and Ponte Vecchio River Arno and Ponte Vecchio River Arno and Ponte Vecchio River Arno and Ponte Vecchio River Arno and Ponte Vecchio River Arno and Ponte Vecchio River Arno and Ponte Vecchio River Arno and Ponte Vecchio Angela window shops on the Ponte Vechicco Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. Arno River Across the Arno River Across the Arno River Living Statue at Uffizi Courtyard It was in the high 80s this day Uffizi Courtyard Dante Alighieri Uffizi Courtyard Uffizi Courtyard The cortile (internal courtyard) is so long and narrow, and open to the Arno River at its far end Uffizi Courtyard One of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world Uffizi Courtyard Leaving Uffizi Courtyard All front doors should have one of these Tribunale Ordinario (Ordinary Court) to right Basilica di Santa Croce Monique and local Florence guide Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Franciscan Church Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Tomb of Dante Basilica di Santa Croce Tomb of Dante Basilica di Santa Croce Tomb of Rossini Basilica di Santa Croce Tomb of Rossin Basilica di Santa Croce Tomb of Machiavelli Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Galileo's Tomb Basilica di Santa Croce Galileo's Tomb Basilica di Santa Croce Michelangelo's Tomb Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel (porch) another Filippo Brunelleschi Dome Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel another Filippo Brunelleschi Dome Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Basilica di Santa Croce Pazzi Chapel Group Picture Basilica di Santa Croce Courtyard Basilica di Santa Croce Piazza Santa Croce setup for Calcio Storico Leonardo's Leather Demonstration Entering Leather Demonstration Leather Demonstration Leather Demonstration Leather DemonstrationLeather Demonstration On our own after the Leather Demonstration Look at the back of the Duomo Back on the bus to Fiesole for dinner What a great day in Florence! Florence from the bus Florence from the bus Florence from the bus Ristorante Le Lance in Fiesole Antonio helps us off the bus Veranda where we dined Ristorante entrance Mike Le Lance in Fiesole Relaxing meal at Fiesole after a busy day Interesting street sign Drive back to Florence Drive back to Florence A Rossini Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Santa Maria del Fiore Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Piazza della Signoria Orchestra Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Rape of the Sabine Women Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Menelaus supporting the body of Patroclus Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzii The Rape of Polyxena Piazza della Signoria Loggia dei Lanzi Perseus with the head Medusa Uffizi Ccourtyard Ponte Vecchio Piazza della Signoria Florence at night Piazza della Signoria Palazzo Vecchio Finnegan's A touch of Ireland in Italy Finnegan's Finnegan's Darts anyone? Lou with Susan Corona from Florida Angela! Jim is always happy Mike is waiting for his turn Susan and Lou getting to know each other better Jim at work Did Jim just win? Susan Susan Lou gives it a shot After such a long day, not sure it matters what the score is Patrick steps up Bob and Lou Jim with Patrick Kelley from Florida Wood carving at Piazza Ricasola Hotel free photo setting frames websites by VisualLightBox.com v5.4

Thanks to Mike and Angela McCoy, Rich Chmielewski, Jim and Terry Michael, Bob and Lou Thompson for the photos used in the slideshows.