Showing posts with label Firenze. Show all posts

A Room With a View

I loved this book and I loved this film—beautiful. (this song was the perfect inclusion)

[screenshot from the film]
PS if you decide to watch it, just know to skip the 'bathing' scene.

helpful distraction

In several of my classes, we've been reviewing architecture and architectural motifs from different periods in Italian history. (yes please)
il Duomo a Firenze, Brunelleschi


This beam ceiling is typical of medieval architecture in Italy. This interior is part of a home in centro in Siena's renovated by Studio Andrea Milani. My favorite aspects of all of the studio's projects that I got to visit was the historical presence (as a result of preserved historical elements) yet modern design of the spaces.


il Colosseo. (the union jack motif above is one we discussed in class!)


the arch of Constantine. (we watched this video for class about this monument; I love the narrator's hand gestures.)

sundry

some sundry photos from a day of sundry activities in Firenze.

the prettiest, classiest, most obsession-worthy rainboots & a paper airplane display in neighboring store windows.
 a double chocolate Magnum bar—little did I know it should be named triple chocolate: chocolate ice cream plus a shell with two layers, one fondente and the other milk chocolate. (my friends and I are a little obsessed with Magnums).
I still cannot get past the beauty and monumental scale of the Duomo's dome. It's a building with such a commanding presence (if you can say something like that about a building).

on the Ponte Vecchio

Firenze di nuovo

the symbol of Firenze (this one was on a fountain)

I have been wanting to go back to Firenze, so we took a spontaneous trip one afternoon last week. It complemented our other trip so well, as we spent some time just walking around and some time seeing specific places or things.
The Piazzale Michelangelo overlooks the Arno River (excuse its muddy color, as in Tuscany we'd just received a few days of torrential rain) and the city, and during the bus ride up, we saw some other parts of the city, too.
Previously, I had only seen Ghiberti's baptistry doors from afar as we walked past, but up close they were even more beautiful and the gold doors shine against their black frame.

I also spent some time in the Galleria dell'Accademia, home of Michelangelo's David. There is a replica in a piazza not far from the museum, but seeing the real thing was incredible. I wasn't sure where in the museum it was located, but I turned a corner and there it was, towering over the crowds of people taking in this masterpiece. What I noticed especially, not having considered this before seeing the real work (as opposed to photographs), were minute details like the veins. And to think it is carved out of solid marble.
Love locks by the Ponte Vecchio -- couples attach these locks to whatever available surface, then they throw the keys into the river. How cute is that!

outside of the Palazzo Pitti, an art museum in Firenze

Firenze

Yesterday we took a day trip to Florence! We did everything good—we saw the whole city, we went to a museum, we saw priceless works of art, we ate panini (name that movie please, minus the panini). It was definitely different from Siena—a little more touristy (as it has every reason to be), but still beautiful, and much bigger.

One of the first things we did was climb to the top of the campanile of the Duomo. The views of Firenze from the top were worth the several hundred stairs to get there.

the view of the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio (which means "old bridge") from inside the Uffizi Gallery(!)

Brunelleschi's dome (Duomo di Firenze)
Palazzo Medici
We were walking down an unassuming street when all of a sudden I looked up and there it was, a building of which I've seen countless photographs right in front of my eyes! I tend to gravitate more towards modern architecture (predominantly 20th Century), but this is one of my favorite historic works of architecture. It also makes me wonder how many artistic and architectural treasures I walk right past without noticing.

In the piazza near Brunelleschi's Ospedale degli Innocenti, Ashley befriended some small children and played with their toys. This little boy, named Luca (notice his Original Marines shirt! so great) very seriously explained to her how it worked: "Allora..."

We ordered panini from a hole in the wall paninoteca, but you knew it was good as the line filled the whole street and sidewalk area immediately around the eatery. 
We also ate gelato, as directed by our professor! We emailed her to let her know we were leaving Siena, and she emailed back with the name of her favorite gelateria in Florence. Excellent.

our little group with the Ponte Vecchio behind us

First on my list for next time are Ghiberti's doors. We walked past them but couldn't get anywhere near enough to see the details, as there were far too many large groups of tourists we would have had to traverse.

I absolutely loved Florence and we didn't spend nearly enough time there. But it's close, so we will definitely be going back!
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