Palazzo Davanzati. I was a good citizen and didn't take pictures inside the medieval merchant family's home, but you can have an idea of the elaborately decorated space here.
Friday, July 13, 2012
il TREDICI di luglio
via Porta Rossa, no. 13
Palazzo Davanzati. I was a good citizen and didn't take pictures inside the medieval merchant family's home, but you can have an idea of the elaborately decorated space here.
Palazzo Davanzati. I was a good citizen and didn't take pictures inside the medieval merchant family's home, but you can have an idea of the elaborately decorated space here.
il DODICI di luglio
Borgo Ognissanti, no. 12
The Reversed Balcony
Information from lifeinitaly.com: "The building goes back to the 16th century and it seems to have been built by the owner of the house out of spite with the Duke Alessandro de' Medici. The initial project of the balcony was rejected by the Duke as, for some law of the time, it was too prominent. The owner of the building presented a second project, with little changes, and even this time it was rejected. At the third attempt, the Duke, trying to be irreverent or just fed up with the continuous requests, wrote on his response: " Yes, on the contrary". The owner of the house, expressing a true Florentine spirit and applying the answer to the letter, ordered his architect to build the balcony upside-down."
If you look closely, you'll see that all the corbels, pediments, capitals, etc. are upside down.
The Reversed Balcony
Information from lifeinitaly.com: "The building goes back to the 16th century and it seems to have been built by the owner of the house out of spite with the Duke Alessandro de' Medici. The initial project of the balcony was rejected by the Duke as, for some law of the time, it was too prominent. The owner of the building presented a second project, with little changes, and even this time it was rejected. At the third attempt, the Duke, trying to be irreverent or just fed up with the continuous requests, wrote on his response: " Yes, on the contrary". The owner of the house, expressing a true Florentine spirit and applying the answer to the letter, ordered his architect to build the balcony upside-down."
If you look closely, you'll see that all the corbels, pediments, capitals, etc. are upside down.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
l'UNDICI di luglio
via Lungarno Torrigiani, no. 11
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
il DIECI di luglio
Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, no. 10
This wonderfully harmonious Renaissance piazza is famous for the Hospital of the Innocents (the first orphanage in Europe) designed by none other than Brunelleschi (architect of the cupola). I just heard that the balanced set of buildings on one side of the square and the other were meant to reflect the balanced books much prized by the Florentine bankers who bankrolled the buildings.
This is the famous revolving cradle where mothers could leave their babies. They could pull on a bell chord and walk away. Then, the nuns would turn this human Lazy Susan and take the babies into the orphanage. The Renaissance version of the Safe Haven law.
This wonderfully harmonious Renaissance piazza is famous for the Hospital of the Innocents (the first orphanage in Europe) designed by none other than Brunelleschi (architect of the cupola). I just heard that the balanced set of buildings on one side of the square and the other were meant to reflect the balanced books much prized by the Florentine bankers who bankrolled the buildings.
This is the famous revolving cradle where mothers could leave their babies. They could pull on a bell chord and walk away. Then, the nuns would turn this human Lazy Susan and take the babies into the orphanage. The Renaissance version of the Safe Haven law.
Ferdinando I (a Medici, of course) with a pigeon hat. It appears that Ferdinando was a pretty fair ruler, even though there is a good chance that he had his brother and sister-in-law poisoned ... but that's pretty run-of-the-mill for the Medici.
I walk through this square every day on my way to work.
il NOVE di luglio
Piazza della Signoria, no. 9
Museo Gucci
It just opened in September and allows fashion lovers to learn more about the famiglia Gucci and their products. I didn't feel that it was worth the 6 Euro entrance fee, but then I'm not known for my love of fashion. There is also the Ferragamo museum, if you want to see the Ferragamo shoes that Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and others wore.
The best part of the museum is probably the view from the front door.
l'OTTO di luglio
via Leone, no. 8
I've been to Florence 8 times now, and I had never seen this Russian church before. It looks similar to and was built about the same time as the Russian church in San Remo. Little did the nobles know that they only had about 15 years of the high life left when they built this beauty.
I've been to Florence 8 times now, and I had never seen this Russian church before. It looks similar to and was built about the same time as the Russian church in San Remo. Little did the nobles know that they only had about 15 years of the high life left when they built this beauty.
il SETTE di luglio
via della Condotta, no. 7
una pizzeria
Seven had me blocked. There would be interesting places at 3, 5, and 9, but then nothing at 7. Or the numbers would simply skip seven. It was between this--a representative pizzeria--or a church called Sette Santi (Seven Saints) or a storefront to represent that the big summer sales started on 7/7.
una pizzeria
Seven had me blocked. There would be interesting places at 3, 5, and 9, but then nothing at 7. Or the numbers would simply skip seven. It was between this--a representative pizzeria--or a church called Sette Santi (Seven Saints) or a storefront to represent that the big summer sales started on 7/7.
il SEI di luglio
Il loggiato degli Uffizi, no. 6
Just part of the line waiting to get into the Uffizi.
via del Corso, no. 6
Beatrice Portinari's former house.
Dante may have been walking down this very street the first time he saw her. (These plaques all mark places or people who are mentioned in the Divine Comedy. And when you read about a woman in a red dress, it can only be Beatrice.)
Just part of the line waiting to get into the Uffizi.
via del Corso, no. 6
Beatrice Portinari's former house.
Dante may have been walking down this very street the first time he saw her. (These plaques all mark places or people who are mentioned in the Divine Comedy. And when you read about a woman in a red dress, it can only be Beatrice.)
Saturday, July 7, 2012
il CINQUE di luglio
Binario no. 5, Campo di Marte train station
How many hours of my life have I spent anxiously awaiting a train on a hot, hot train platform?
How many hours of my life have I spent anxiously awaiting a train on a hot, hot train platform?
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
il QUATTRO di luglio
Il Bargello, via del Proconsolo, 4
The Bargello is Italy's most important museum dedicated to sculpture. Originally, it was the seat of the mayor, later the police captain and city prison. Like a dress that sometimes outshines its wearer, the Bargello often seems to be more beautiful than its contents. What do you think?
Sorry, that's not fair! I couldn't show you pictures of the sculptures, the most famous of which is Donatello's David, which are inside.
Last night my landlord, a composer of electronic music, left me a ticket for a modern dance performance which they held inside the courtyard of the Bargello. A magical place for a performance. And they were clever with projecting images and videos on the wall (for example, giant ants climbing the stairs).
The Bargello is Italy's most important museum dedicated to sculpture. Originally, it was the seat of the mayor, later the police captain and city prison. Like a dress that sometimes outshines its wearer, the Bargello often seems to be more beautiful than its contents. What do you think?
Sorry, that's not fair! I couldn't show you pictures of the sculptures, the most famous of which is Donatello's David, which are inside.
Last night my landlord, a composer of electronic music, left me a ticket for a modern dance performance which they held inside the courtyard of the Bargello. A magical place for a performance. And they were clever with projecting images and videos on the wall (for example, giant ants climbing the stairs).
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
il TRE di luglio
Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, via Cavour, 3
This little jewel is home to the famous Procession of the Magi fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli. Whatever the entrance fee, it is worth it to see it up close. You may have seen parts of this fresco in books or on calendars or on hanging banners, but it is completely different in person. First of all, standing in the tiny room, you realize -- again...as if it doesn't get hammered into you enough when you are in Florence -- just how powerful and wealthy the Medici were to be able to commission such a piece (and how powerful and wealthy and arrogant they were to have family members inserted into the Biblical scene). The impact of being surrounded by such vivid colors can't possibly be replicated in a book.
See? The banner doesn't do it justice. (The shadows don't help, either.)
Pull up your horse and stay awhile.
This little jewel is home to the famous Procession of the Magi fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli. Whatever the entrance fee, it is worth it to see it up close. You may have seen parts of this fresco in books or on calendars or on hanging banners, but it is completely different in person. First of all, standing in the tiny room, you realize -- again...as if it doesn't get hammered into you enough when you are in Florence -- just how powerful and wealthy the Medici were to be able to commission such a piece (and how powerful and wealthy and arrogant they were to have family members inserted into the Biblical scene). The impact of being surrounded by such vivid colors can't possibly be replicated in a book.
See? The banner doesn't do it justice. (The shadows don't help, either.)
Pull up your horse and stay awhile.
Monday, July 2, 2012
il DUE di luglio
via del Campanile, 2
GROM. There are a few gelaterie which vie for best in the city, and GROM is one of them. A few years ago I went to a talk at GROM about how to make gelato. There I learned a very important fact: gelato has fewer calories than ice cream. Enjoyment without a guilty conscience. Double the pleasure.
I walked all around this building at via Pier Antonio Micheli, 2, but I couldn't figure out what it was. All of this turn-of-the-century goodness has to have some purpose, doesn't it?
GROM. There are a few gelaterie which vie for best in the city, and GROM is one of them. A few years ago I went to a talk at GROM about how to make gelato. There I learned a very important fact: gelato has fewer calories than ice cream. Enjoyment without a guilty conscience. Double the pleasure.
I walked all around this building at via Pier Antonio Micheli, 2, but I couldn't figure out what it was. All of this turn-of-the-century goodness has to have some purpose, doesn't it?
Sunday, July 1, 2012
July ONE a Firenze
A month-long initiative for my month in Florence. See if you can figure out the theme.
Via Bufalini, no. 1
Besides a few statues for Orsanmichele, Ghiberti is *only* (*=sarcastic emphasis) known for sculpting the panels on the doors of the Baptistry, doors which Michelangelo later called the Gates of Paradise.
I found 20 seconds when no one was standing in front of them to take this picture. (It was a little weird seeing all the girls in sexy poses in front of panels from the Old Testament.)
Via Bufalini, no. 1
This was the home of Lorenzo Ghiberti's (1378-1455) studio. Two of his apprentices? Just Michelozzo and Donatello.
Here's a self-portrait of Ghiberti:
I found 20 seconds when no one was standing in front of them to take this picture. (It was a little weird seeing all the girls in sexy poses in front of panels from the Old Testament.)
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Wildlife Photographer Extraordinaire
Some birds of prey at the dam:
This was supposed to be a picture of two gorgeous heron who were flying around the docks:
Imagine a groundhog in this picture:
And if you look really, really closely, there is a bumblebee here:
I'd post more, but I'm busy fielding a bunch of calls from National Geographic.
This was supposed to be a picture of two gorgeous heron who were flying around the docks:
Imagine a groundhog in this picture:
And if you look really, really closely, there is a bumblebee here:
I'd post more, but I'm busy fielding a bunch of calls from National Geographic.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Bad working conditions
The next time you feel like complaining about your office space, think of the poor soul who has to work in this booth.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
The next Scooby-Doo set
Doing a little location scouting for the next Scooby-Doo movie, Scooby and the Old Amusement Park. Can't you just imagine the old caretaker of this place dressing up as a ghost to scare the gang and keep the bankers at bay?
And here is where the gang can stay:
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