Badia Fiorentina

Tomorrow is a travel day and before noon I hope to be in Assisi. For this final Florence post, these are pictures of the interior of the Badia Fiorentina, a special sacred church, and a cornerstone of the neighborhood where Dante grew up. Unlike some of the larger churches which have daily crowds of tourists, the Badia is reserved for prayer and services except for three hours late on Monday afternoons. Yesterday being a Monday, I stopped by during the tourist visiting hours. Here is the main altar.

The Badia, with its origins dating back more than a millennium, shows its age and is dark, worn and fragmented in places. However, it retains many of its treasures. Over the center of the church is an intricately carved wood ceiling.

Along the walls are paintings and frescoes.

One wonders when this stand first held music.

To the right of the apse of the church one can exit up some stairs to the Cloister of the Oranges.

This beautifully designed Fifteenth Century work, though worn, still is a peaceful, thoughtful place to visit.

On the upper level are the remains of frescoes on the life of Saint Benedict, also done in the Fifteenth Century.

On parts of the wall can be seen the artist's sketches.

The anonymous artist was known as the "Maestro del Chiostro degli Aranci" or "Master of the Cloister of the Oranges." Here are two more segments of his work.

Finally, back in the church, a true masterpiece of the Renaissance by Filippino Lippi, Apparition of the Virgin to Saint Bernard. Somehow this lovely, hopeful work seems more at home in the Badia Fiorentina than in one of Florence's many fine museums.

Saint Bernard looks up from his work to see the Blessed Virgin surrounded by angels.
Ciao.

Florence Bridge Views

With Florence's old tall palaces and very narrow streets, some of the best in-city views are to be found on and by the Arno. This is a view looking west from Ponte San Niccolo to Ponte alle Grazie and, behind that, Ponte Vecchio.

 

Perhaps the prettiest bridge in Florence is Ponte Santa Trinita, the first bridge west of Ponte Vecchio.  

It is decorated at its four corners with statues.

Although it could use a good scrubbing, the artwork, detail and lines all add to its beauty.

It's a terrific bridge for walking or sitting or enjoying views from.

Like this one of Ponte Vecchio.

During World War II, all of Florence's bridges were destroyed, with the exception of Ponte Vecchio. However, Ponte Santa Trinita was methodically rebuilt just as it was before. Ponte Vecchio, of course, is Florence's most famous bridge.

Centuries ago, it was lined with butcher shops. Now it is occupied by vendors of gold and jewelry.

Here's a closer view of the outer side.

And an early evening view.

Buona sera.

Where Francis Arrived in Florence

On this the weekend of Palm Sunday, I attended a vigil mass in the small church of Santa Lucia dei Magnoli. I mentioned in a recent post that by this church was where Saint Francis supposedly stayed on his first visit to Florence. Standing in front of the church before mass, I noticed a small, worn religious marker built into an old retaining wall across the narrow, busy street.

 And on closer inspection, read the words,

"Here arrived in 1211 for the first time in Florence Saint Francis of Assisi."  A special place.
Today I was passing through the city just as Palm Sunday morning services were getting underway at the Duomo, Santa Maria del Fiore. Across from the main entrance to the church, Ghiberti's "Gates of Paradise", the east doors of the Baptistry, were wide open. Soon a procession was underway.

It's a short walk from the Baptistry to the Duomo. In a minute or so the procession was moving up the stairs and into the church.

With the principal clergy in red.

Many people were carrying olive branches, which Italians share on Palm Sunday in lieu of palms.
From there it was on to the Bargello to view more art, then to Amon, a very basic Egyptian sandwich shop that just happens to sell good falafel in the land of pizza and pasta.

Ciao.

Amici degli Uffizi

With a move to Assisi coming up next week, I've been revisiting some of Florence's museums. The Friends of the Uffizi card is an excellent resource for those spending more than a few days in Florence. It allows unlimited and usually fast entry for a full calendar year to several of the best museums. One can even enjoy frequent visits to the Boboli Gardens, where are miles of walkways to explore.

Finally seeing signs of Spring.

Looking forward to an abundance of flowers in Umbria.
The Uffizi Gallery, being one of the finest art collections in the world, tends to become very crowded with long waiting lines. Inside, the rooms are arranged chronologically, so that the crowds move slowly from the early works, to pre-Renaissance, to Renaissance and so on. With that in mind, I went early this morning, used the Friends pass to enter, then moved quickly through the first rooms. This strategy worked well, as there were few people about the Botticelli, da Vinci and Michelangelo rooms; no need to navigate for a view, move quickly or otherwise adjust to a crowd. Also had time to enjoy some fine Filippino Lippi and Allori works. It's interesting how subjective art appreciation can be. I've read that in the Nineteenth Century assessment of who the best masters were was quite different from what we hear today.
Speaking of subjectivity, crossing the Arno I enjoy going over the Ponte Santa Trinita, not as famous as the Ponte Vecchio, but a prettier bridge. And this usually takes me past Salvatore Ferragamo's store, where there's a new display in one of the windows.

These items are not inexpensive. I think a pair of the very colorful shoe near the top goes for 800 euro, or about the cost of a dozen very fine pairs of running shoes, taxes included. And those could be bright colored running shoes, too, even if not quite as fashionable.

Ciao.

More on San Miniato al Monte

Here are a few more pictures of the church of San Miniato al Monte, described in an earlier post. It is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Italy. First the brilliant upper part of the facade, with the eagle on top symbolizing Florence's cloth merchant guild.

Next, the interior, which includes a choir over a crypt, constructed over 800 years ago. (Sorry about the limited early morning light.)

The mosaic work over the upper altar portrays Christ between Mary and Saint Minias.

The work below is on a wall near the entrance. While knowing no details, it appears to be the Virgin and Child surrounded by several saints, and is perhaps six centuries old.

Gregorian Chant is still sung at San Miniato al Monte. Being high on a hill away from the city center, it is less visited than Florence's major churches, but is no less special.
And goodness nose is no lie that interred in the cemetary behind the church is Carlo Collodi (Lorenzini), the creator of Pinocchio.
Finally, one can hardly improve on the views from San Minato al Monte.

Ciao.

A Little Florentine History

This is the stair landing outside of the door of my apartment in Florence.

Not much to look at, save for one interesting fact that I'll share in a moment.
My landlord's last name is Berti. Aware of it being an old Florentine name, I asked him about it, especially about a reference to a Berti in Dante's Divine Comedy. The following is from the Paradiso, Canto XV (Longfellow trans.).
Bellincion Berti saw I go begirt
With leather and with bone, and from the mirror
His dame depart without a painted face;
(The lines refer to a period of time when Florentines dressed modestly. Elsewhere Dante refers to Bellicion's daughter, "the good Gualdrada.")
As it turns out, my landlord is a descendant of the Berti family of Dante. He shared more of his family history, how his ancestors came from the north and played a prominent political role in Fiesole, the town north of Florence that goes back to Etruscan times. During Dante's time the Berti family provided arms (swords, daggers, etc.) to the Florentine Republic.
As for the stair landing, it has not changed since the Fourteenth Century (Dante lived until 1321). People were passing over these same stones before Columbus set sail.
To balance the plainess of an old stair landing, I'll leave you with a more heavenly picture from my morning walk.

Ciao.

Lucca - Part II

Much like Siena and Assisi, Lucca is a fine town for just wandering about. It's difficult to get very lost surrounded by a forty foot high perimeter wall. Or one can pick up a map at information offices near Porta Santa Maria or Piazzale G. Verdi.
As with those other towns, much of Lucca's history, art and architecture are to be found in her churches. Here's a glimpse of a few of the more well-known. This is the facade of the Cathedral of Saint Martin, Lucca's Duomo. Although most of the facade is newer, the church was begun in 1063.

Below is the facade of San Michele in Foro, a basilica so named because it was built on the site of Lucca's Roman Forum. The church's origins date back to at least the Eighth Century, although much of it is newer. Inside is a beautiful painting of four saints by Filippino Lippi.

Here's a closer look at the top part, showing Saint Michael the Archangel.

Next is the interior of the Basilica of San Frediano, which had its beginnings as a Sixth Century church named after Fridianus, who was the son of a king of Ireland and a bishop of Lucca. (I've been staying in the San Frediano neighborhood of Florence, a good Irish-Italian combination.)

The church was built up in the Twelfth Century, and the facade developed over the following two centuries.

Note the top part. This is a Thirteenth Century mosaic, The Ascension of Christ the Savior.

Back down to earth, I mentioned in the previous post how much of Lucca gets around on bicycles. This fine model is bound to provide many happy rides.

Lucca has several pleasant piazzas, not far separated, so one is seldom long in the narrow streets. This is Piazza Napoleone.

Opera aficionados may be aware that Lucca was the birthplace of Giocamo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini (Puccini, for short, composer of Madame Butterfly, Tosca, La boheme). He is considered the second greatest Italian opera composer after Verdi, and thus there's a statue of him near the house of his birth.

Apparently he was a chain smoker, as is captured in this likeness, which brought his career and life to an end.
In passing by a local bank, noticed an apparently very old and very secure door. Not sure how the money gets in or out. Wonder if they issue 300 year fixed-rate mortgages?

Finally, Lucca seems to have plenty of good places to stop for meals, or a slice of pizza. This was my lunch stop.

Ciao.

Lucca - Part I

Lucca is an old walled city not far from Pisa. In fact, its well-preserved perimeter wall is one of its finest attractions. It takes about an hour and a half by train to reach Lucca from Florence, and it's well worth the trip.
Lucca's Etruscan origins go back a few centuries B.C. Around 180 B.C. Lucca became a Roman colony, and in 56 B.C. Julius Caesar, Pompey and Crassus met here as members of the First Triumvirate. Lucca has a long history of conquests and defeats. However, in the Sixteenth Century, concerned about the ambitions of Florence, the people of Lucca began building a wall.

Not just any wall. Their wall took years to construct, reaching about two and a half miles in length and about forty feet in height. Additionally, the earth was built up behind the wall to give it substantial depth, at least about forty feet and in places wider. So now, five centuries later, the people of Lucca have an outstanding walking, running, biking path with views encircling their town, not to mention a better wall than Florence should old rivalries flare. I entered Lucca through Porta San Pietro.

Probably wise to avoid this gate during closing time.

Once inside, it's easy to find a path or walkway up onto the wall. There, it's a walker or runner's dream, a wide open road with very few vehicles.

To the inside, there are excellent views of town.

To the outside the views extend to the mountains. Here's a portion of the wall as seen from above.

People of all ages in Lucca ride bicycles throughout the town. Atop the wall I came upon a group who had ridden their bikes to meet and were engaged in a good game of dominoes.

It took about an hour to circle the wall at a good pace, but stopping often for views and to take pictures.

In the second part of this post I'll share some of the town itself. Here's a preview of a blossoming Lucca street.

Ciao.