June 21, 2015

Florence, Italy

'Purification of the Virgin' by Ambrogio Lorenzetti (1342 AD) - on display in the Uffizi Gallery.
‘Purification of the Virgin’ by Ambrogio Lorenzetti (1342 AD) – on display in the Uffizi Gallery.
'Madonna and Child with Two Angels' by Filippo Lippi (ca. 1460-1465 AD).
‘Madonna and Child with Two Angels’ by Filippo Lippi (ca. 1460-1465 AD).
'Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino' by Piero Della Francesca (ca. 1472-1475 AD).
‘Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino’ by Piero Della Francesca (ca. 1472-1475 AD).
'The Birth of Venus' by Sandro Botticelli (ca. 1484-1486 AD).
‘The Birth of Venus’ by Sandro Botticelli (ca. 1484-1486 AD).
'Primavera' (also known as "Allegory of Spring") by Sandro Botticelli (ca. 1477-1482 AD).
‘Primavera’ (also known as “Allegory of Spring”) by Sandro Botticelli (ca. 1477-1482 AD).
'Pallas and the Centaur' by Sandro Botticelli (1482 AD).
‘Pallas and the Centaur’ by Sandro Botticelli (1482 AD).
'Crucifix with Mary Magdalene' by Luca Signorelli (ca. 1502-1505 AD).
‘Crucifix with Mary Magdalene’ by Luca Signorelli (ca. 1502-1505 AD).
'Sacred Allegory' by Giovanni Bellini (ca. 1490-1499 AD).
‘Sacred Allegory’ by Giovanni Bellini (ca. 1490-1499 AD).
'Disputation of St. Stephen' by Vittore Carpaccio (1514 AD).
‘Disputation of St. Stephen’ by Vittore Carpaccio (1514 AD).
Bust of the Emperor Trajan, sculpted in the 2nd-century AD.
Bust of the Emperor Trajan, sculpted in the 2nd-century AD.
'Hercules and Nessus', sculpted during the Roman Age.
‘Hercules and Nessus’, sculpted during the Roman Age.
Looking out of the Uffizi Gallery from the top floor with the dome of the Florence Cathedral and the Palazzo Vecchio in view.
Looking out of the Uffizi Gallery from the top floor with the dome of the Florence Cathedral and the Palazzo Vecchio in view.
The Ponte Vecchio seen from the Uffizi Gallery.
The Ponte Vecchio seen from the Uffizi Gallery.
'The Holy Family with the Infant John the Baptist' (also known as "Doni Tondo") by Michelangelo (1507 AD).
‘The Holy Family with the Infant John the Baptist’ (also known as “Doni Tondo”) by Michelangelo (1507 AD).
'Saint Sebastian' by Sodoma (1525 AD).
‘Saint Sebastian’ by Sodoma (1525 AD).
'Portrait of Gabrielle d'Estrees and One of Her Sisters' by the Fontainebleau School (late 16th-century AD).
‘Portrait of Gabrielle d’Estrees and One of Her Sisters’ by the Fontainebleau School (late 16th-century AD).
The Palazzo Vecchio seen from the Uffizi Gallery's terrace.
The Palazzo Vecchio seen from the Uffizi Gallery’s terrace.
'The Return From Egypt' (also known as "The Panciatichi Holy Family") by Bronzino (1540 AD).
‘The Return From Egypt’ (also known as “The Panciatichi Holy Family”) by Bronzino (1540 AD).
'Portrait of Pope Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de' Medici and Luigi de' Rossi' by Raphael (1518 AD).
‘Portrait of Pope Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de’ Medici and Luigi de’ Rossi’ by Raphael (1518 AD).
'Portrait of Eleonora Gonzaga' by Titian (1536/1537 AD).
‘Portrait of Eleonora Gonzaga’ by Titian (1536/1537 AD).
'Venus of Urbino' by Titian (1538 AD).
‘Venus of Urbino’ by Titian (1538 AD).
'Testa di Medusa' by Caravaggio (1597 AD).
‘Testa di Medusa’ by Caravaggio (1597 AD).
'Judith Slaying Holofernes' by Artemisia (1620/1621 AD).
‘Judith Slaying Holofernes’ by Artemisia (1620/1621 AD).
'Bacchus' by Caravaggio (1597/1598 AD).
‘Bacchus’ by Caravaggio (1597/1598 AD).
'Roman Charity' by Bartolomeo Manfredi (1610-1620 AD).
‘Roman Charity’ by Bartolomeo Manfredi (1610-1620 AD).
Looking up from the courtyard in the Palazzo Vecchio.
Looking up from the courtyard in the Palazzo Vecchio.
A painting depicting Florence around 1490 AD.
A painting depicting Florence around 1490 AD.
The Florence Cathedral seen from the Palazzo Vecchio.
The Florence Cathedral seen from the Palazzo Vecchio.
A corridor inside the Palazzo Vecchio.
A corridor inside the Palazzo Vecchio.
Looking north toward the Florence Cathedral from the Palazzo Vecchio.
Looking north toward the Florence Cathedral from the Palazzo Vecchio.
Looking east toward the Basilica of Santa Croce from the Palazzo Vecchio.
Looking east toward the Basilica of Santa Croce from the Palazzo Vecchio.
Looking west at the Arno River from the Palazzo Vecchio.
Looking west at the Arno River from the Palazzo Vecchio.
The ceiling of the Hall of Lilies (part of the Apartments of the Priors in the Palazzo Vecchio).
The ceiling of the Hall of Lilies (part of the Apartments of the Priors in the Palazzo Vecchio).
The Audience Chamber in the Apartments of the Priors.
The Audience Chamber in the Apartments of the Priors.
The barrel-vaulted ceiling of the Chapel of the Priors.
The barrel-vaulted ceiling of the Chapel of the Priors.
The Chapel of Eleonora.
The Chapel of Eleonora.
The Great Hall inside the Palazzo Vecchio, seen from the upper level.
The Great Hall inside the Palazzo Vecchio, seen from the upper level.
'The Gods of Water Pay Tribute to Venus, Born of Saturn's Seed Spilled in to the Sea' - a painting inside the Room of the Elements.
‘The Gods of Water Pay Tribute to Venus, Born of Saturn’s Seed Spilled in to the Sea’ – a painting inside the Room of the Elements.
Ceiling found inside the Palazzo Vecchio.
Ceiling found inside the Palazzo Vecchio.
A ceiling inside the Apartments of Leo X.
A ceiling inside the Apartments of Leo X.
Standing in the Great Hall inside the Palazzo Vecchio.
Standing in the Great Hall inside the Palazzo Vecchio.
The Studiolo inside the Palazzo Vecchio.
The Studiolo inside the Palazzo Vecchio.
A street in Florence.
A street in Florence.
The facade of the Basilica of Santa Croce.
The facade of the Basilica of Santa Croce.
Inside the Basilica of Santa Croce.
Inside the Basilica of Santa Croce.
The Tomb of Galileo Galilei (inside the Basilica of Santa Croce).
The Tomb of Galileo Galilei (inside the Basilica of Santa Croce).
Another view of the interior of the Basilica.
Another view of the interior of the Basilica.
The Tomb of Michelangelo (inside the Basilica of Santa Croce).
The Tomb of Michelangelo (inside the Basilica of Santa Croce).
The robe of Saint Francis of Assisi (a relic found inside the Basilica of Santa Croce).
The robe of Saint Francis of Assisi (a relic found inside the Basilica of Santa Croce).
Castellani Chapel inside the Basilica of Santa Croce.
Castellani Chapel inside the Basilica of Santa Croce.
The First Cloister with the Pazzi Chapel in the background (at the Basilica of Santa Croce).
The First Cloister with the Pazzi Chapel in the background (at the Basilica of Santa Croce).
The interior of the Pazzi Chapel.
The interior of the Pazzi Chapel.
Inside the Refectory of the Basilica of Santa Croce.
Inside the Refectory of the Basilica of Santa Croce.
View of Florence from the Piazzale Michelangelo.
View of Florence from the Piazzale Michelangelo.
The Torre di San Niccolo ("San Niccolo Tower").
The Torre di San Niccolo (“San Niccolo Tower”).
The Florence Cathedral and the Palazzo Vecchio seen from the south side of the Arno River.
The Florence Cathedral and the Palazzo Vecchio seen from the south side of the Arno River.
Forte dei Belvedere.
Forte dei Belvedere.
The Tuscan countryside seen from the fort.
The Tuscan countryside seen from the fort.
Another street in Florence.
Another street in Florence.
The Arno River and the Ponte alla Carraia.
The Arno River and the Ponte alla Carraia.
The Arno River and the Ponte Vecchio at sunset.
The Arno River and the Ponte Vecchio at sunset.
Closeup of the Ponte Vecchio at sunset.
Closeup of the Ponte Vecchio at sunset.
Crossing the Ponte Vecchio at sunset.
Crossing the Ponte Vecchio at sunset.
Italian white wine made from Vernaccia grapes.
Italian white wine made from Vernaccia grapes.
A bottle of Chianti.
A bottle of Chianti.

I hit snooze on my alarms and slept in an hour later than I would’ve liked. I finally woke up at 07:50, showered, dressed, got ready, and made my way out of the hostel and to the Uffizi Gallery. I reached the Uffizi Gallery after 09:00, waited in line, bought my ticket, and began to explore the vast collection of artwork inside. The Uffizi Gallery is one of the oldest art museums in the world; it was originally open to visitors by request in the sixteenth-century AD and then opened to the public in 1765 AD; the gallery is housed inside a building that was originally constructed to accommodate the offices of the Florentine magistrates (hence the name uffizi, which means “offices”), which was completed in 1581 AD. Inside were many sculptures and paintings, with well-known masterpieces by Sandro Botticelli (e.g. ‘La Primavera’ and ‘Birth of Venus’), Filippo Lippi (e.g. ‘Madonna and Child with Angel’), Leonardo da Vinci (e.g. ‘Annunciation’ and ‘Adoration of the Magi’), Titian (e.g. ‘Venus of Urbino’ and ‘Flora’), Raphael (e.g. ‘Madonna of the Goldfinch’ and ‘Pope Leo X and Family’), Michelangelo (e.g. ‘Doni Tondo’), Caravaggio (e.g. ‘Sacrifice of Isaac’, ‘Medusa’, and ‘Young Bacchus’), Pieter Paul Rubens (e.g. Triumph of Henry IV in Paris’), Francisco Goya (e.g. ‘Portrait of María Teresa’), and many others. This gallery was very impressive and I took three hours to walk through all of it, which was just enough time to see everything, but not necessary enough time to enjoy it (there is too much to see in Florence). Once done touring the Uffizi Gallery, I exited out of the building and walked to the Palazzo Vecchio (which means ‘Old Palace’, named so when the Medici duke’s residence was moved across the Arno to the Palazzo Pitti). The Palazzo Vecchio is a massive, Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace that was built in the fourteenth-century AD; at its entrance, is a replica of Michelangelo’s statue of ‘David’, which used to stand there between 1529 and 1851 AD, until it was moved to the Galleria dell’ Academia. I entered inside the Palazzo Vecchio and bought a ticket for the museum and the tower. I first entered inside a free museum and looked around at the artwork showcasing Florentine life and how the city looked in the past. Then, I walked up the stairs to the tower entrance and waited in line for about thirty minutes before I was able to proceed up to the top of the tower. At a couple levels on my way up to the tower, I had great views of all of Florence (very impressive); at the very top, the views were not so great due to a barrier rope placed to keep visitors from approaching the walls and looking over the edge. Once done looking around the tower, I descended the steps and entered in to the royal apartments in the Palazzo Vecchio, walking through the museum backwards. I walked through each apartment, looking at the painted walls and ceilings, as well as whatever artwork was displayed inside. I made my way through the second floor and then descended to the first floor, finishing up in the massive Salone dei Cinquecento. After finishing touring the inside, I walked through the two courtyards before exiting out in to the Piazza della Signoria. I then made my way past the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (the Florence Cathedral), however it was too late for me to think about exploring the Cathedral and all her wonders (it being past 15:00), so I walked to the Basilica di Santa Croce (“Basilica of the Holy Cross”). As I reached the Basilica, I came across the bleachers and field set up in Piazza Santa Croce (as the name suggests, the piazza is located in front of the Basilica), ready for the Calcio Storico Fiorentino finals due to take place on June 24th (I enquired at the hostel about possibly obtaining tickets, but was told they were all sold out; I was given the option to pay a high price and watch the games from a private apartment, but I declined since it would not be the same and the apartment no doubt would’ve been crowded and hot (air-conditioning is a luxury not practiced by most of the world)). I entered inside the Basilica, paid for my entrance ticket, and began exploring the areas open to the public. Basilica di Santa Croce is the principal Franciscan church in Florence and was built in 1385 AD and consecrated in 1443 AD; it is the burial place for many notable Italians, such as Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, Gentile, and Rossini, thus it is known also as the “Temple of the Italian Glories” (in Italian: “Tempio dell’Itale Glorie”). I walked around the interior of the church, looking at the various paintings, sculptures, chapels, and tombs. I then left the building and walked through a leather-making school which was not in operation at the time. I then walked around the outside Basilica, reentered it, and exited out in to its cloister. Next, I walked in to the Pazzi Chapel, viewed the inside, and then walked through the Refectory, viewing all the artifacts, reliquaries, paintings, and sculptures on display in there. After touring the Basilica di Santa Croce, I walked southeast to the Piazzale Michelangelo, which is located on a highpoint on the south side of the Arno River; at the Piazzale Michelangelo, there were many vendors selling meats, cheeses, snacks, and souvenirs; there were also great views of the city and surrounding countryside (Tuscany is like a beautiful dream). After taking a number of photographs from that height, I returned down to the Arno River and walked to Forte dei Belvedere (“Fort Belvedere”), the second and largest fortress to be built in Florence, which was designed and built by Bernardo Buontalenti over a five year period, between 1590 and 1595 AD, by order of Grand Duke Ferdinando I de’ Medici. There wasn’t much to the fort for visitors other than walking through a building there and to having more grand views of Florence and the surrounding area; there was also a contemporary art exhibit by Antony Gormley, called ‘HUMAN’, which consist of various human statues in different poses and sometimes pile on top of one another. After walking around the fort, I made my way to the Boboli Gardens (the Pitti Palace gardens), but when I reached the ticket booth, I discovered that the ticket to the gardens is the same for Pitti Palace; it was now 18:25 and with the palace and gardens closing at 19:00, it made more sense to save this attraction for another day. So I headed back down to a market near Ponte Vecchio and bought a small bottle of Chianti and some iced tea to rehydrate with. I then walked back to the hostel, dropped the bottle of Chianti off next to the bottle of wine I had bought yesterday, and then soon left the hostel to find a restaurant to eat at. I wandered around the city, passing by the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, bathed in the orange-reddish light of the setting sun, until finally coming to restaurant where I had a glass of beer, bruschetta pomodore e mozzarella (toast bread with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese), and a Napoli pizza (anchovies, capers, and oregano). After dinner, I returned to the hostel and went through photographs from today. Later on, I opened the bottle of Italian white wine I had bought yesterday, and drank its contents (the wine was crafted from Vernaccia grapes and tasted of flowers and tropical fruits; it also had a damn good woody taste to it. “GONE!”). After finishing that bottle, I opened the small bottle of Chianti (375 mL) and began drinking its contents (it tasted of blackberries, black cherries, and plums). Then, as I was watching Monty Python’s ‘And Now for Something Completely Different’, I fell asleep on the couch in the common room, at nearly 03:00.

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An open journal or an exercise in narcissism.