A Month in Bella Italia

[Lisbeth]

The building in front covering the Cathedral is the baptistery, but at least you can see the bell tower in all it glory.

[Richprins]

They had far too much time and money, these old popes or whatever. But wow, they could certainly build!

That steak looks very good indeed, Flutts! me hungry!

We are lucky with meat prices down here at least?

No burglar bars...but it is the 4th floor!


Looks like a very nice apartment, I must say. Whose viola is that?

[Pumbaa]

Indeed a wonderful portion of meat

Il Duomo looks beautiful and very impressive

[Flutterby]

Lis, it's true that it's not easy to get everything in, but you got some nice pics.

They had far too much time and money, these old popes or whatever. But wow, they could certainly build!

That steak looks very good indeed, Flutts! me hungry!

We are lucky with meat prices down here at least?

No burglar bars...but it is the 4th floor!


Looks like a very nice apartment, I must say. Whose viola is that?

Imagine how much poorer the world would be if they hadn't had so much time and money! And yes, we are still lucky that meat prices are not too exorbitant (yet)!
There are no burglar bars anywhere...they don't need them! The Brat had some things that needed to be fixed in his apartment so the university sent a handyman around. The Brat asked what time he must be there and they asked him he why he needed to know, so he said "just to make sure he doesn't take anything" and they looked at him as if he was mad!! The viola belonged to the owner of the apartment. Obviously they are very into art and literature...lots of books and arty stuff all over the apartment.

Indeed a wonderful portion of meat

Il Duomo looks beautiful and very impressive

The meal was very nice. The whole of Florence is impressive!

[Mel]

Stunning night shots, Flutts. Also still those from Sicily

How can you park a car light that without bumping into the one behind (or in front of you)?
Even with the latest electronic equipment in you car that must be close to impossible

Love when kids have already developed a taste for good food! Our godson would also eat a
pasta variation with mussels.

Didn't you find the beef not only more expensive but also less tasty than the SA counterpart?
When being in the park, we're always in meat heaven compared to the stuff we get at home.
And not only with the beef. The pork is of much higher quality too.

[Flutterby]

Thanks Mel. I don't know how they park like that...magic!

Yes, I didn't find the meat to be anything special. I think we are lucky here still.

[Lisbeth]

It very much depends on where you go. Generally, the meat in Italy comes from animals that are too big and the beef has mostly not hung enough.

In Switzerland, the meat is much better than in Italy and also much more expensive

SA meat is normally excellent....and cheap

[Flutterby]

[Flutterby]

Our first full day in Florence was spent exploring and getting our bearings. Our first job was to see where the Brat's university was. It turned out to be only a ten minute walk from our apartment, and on the way we passed the Basillica of Santa Croce.

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The Basilica di Santa Croce is the principal Franciscan church in Florence, and the largest Franciscan church in the world. Its most notable features are its sixteen chapels, many of them decorated with frescoes by Giotto and his pupils. Legend says that Santa Croce was founded by St Francis himself. It is situated on the Piazza di Santa Croce, about 800 meters south-east of the Duomo. Construction was begun on 12 May 1294, possibly by Arnolfo di Cambio, and paid for by some of the city's wealthiest families. The bell tower was built in 1842, replacing an earlier one damaged by lightning. The neo-Gothic marble façade dates from 1857-1863. The Jewish architect Niccolo Matas from Ancona, designed the church's façade, working a prominent Star of David into the composition.

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The Crucifix by Cimabue at Santa Croce (c. 1265) is a wooden crucifix, painted in distemper. It is one of the first Italian artworks to break from the late medieval Byzantine style and is renowned for its technical innovations and humanistic iconography. The gilding and monumentality of the cross link it to the Byzantine tradition. A graphic portrayal of human suffering, the painting is of seminal importance in art history and has influenced painters from Michelangelo, Caravaggio and Velázquez to Francis Bacon. The work has been in the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence since the late thirteenth century. It remains in poor condition despite conservation efforts.

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A humble wooden ceiling instead of a dome.

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The altar.

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Michelangelo's Tomb holds pride of place in Santa Croce.

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His tomb is part of the Buonarotti Altarpiece which marks the burial place of Michelangelo and more than 60 members of his family.

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The altarpiece and the tomb are currently undergoing restoration, which was incredibly fascinating to watch!

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Besides Michelangelo, Santa Croce is the also the burial place of Galileo, Machiavelli, the poet Foscolo, the philosopher Gentile and the composer Rossini, thus it is known also as the Temple of the Italian Glories.

[Lisbeth]

Beautiful church

I knew that Michelangelo was buried there, but not the story behind it

I would have thought that the Cathedral in Assisi is bigger, but maybe it is older than San Francisco and thus not a Franciscan church

Florence is no exception from the rest of Italy, too much to look after and thus always conservation issues, even if Florence should not have a money issue. Maybe it is all treasures of the state and it is Rome that decides Bye, bye treasures