Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Firenze

Last week I had the opportunity to take a three-hour train ride down to Florence and spend a week immersed in art, architecture and...crowds! Yes, Florence lived up to its billing as the birthplace of western art and the post-dark ages rediscovery of ancient Greek texts on science, philosophy and political theory. In short, Firenze is a vibrant, overwhelming city chock-a-block full of students, tourists and scenic viewpoints. (Not to mention countless coffee bars and umbrella salesmen.) The weather continued to be variably yucky which made being indoors a real plus at times
 
The Loggia - once a place for humanistic oratory, now a display medium for ancient Roman and Renaissance statues
When it wasn't a flat-out downpour, there was a keen wind whipping through the streets that wreaked havoc with the outdoor cafes. Luckily my digs were only a ten minute hustle from everything and it's a time-honored behavior in Florence to 'shop-hop' from one warm and dry place to the next. Needless to say I drank a few too many cappuccinos; ate a few too many brioche. Ah, the life of the dilettante art lover! What follows is a smattering of some of my photos as I wandered through the streets of Firenze - plus a couple of insider views of the museums I visited. Since it would be hard to do this all in one post, I will parse them out piecemeal to you as time allows. Good luck and enjoy!

Cosimo de Medici - the guy who started the dynasty

The Rape of Polyxene


Inside the Bargello
Ancient fountain art

Bruneleschi's dome
The Duomo

Ghiberti's bronze door panels on the Baptistry
3D comes to art!
The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge)


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