Immersive Italy: Florence

Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo

From the canals of Venice to the heart of Tuscany. We swapped gondolas for rail travel, enjoying a scenic two-hour ride to Florence through rolling hills, rustic farms, and fields bursting with poppies and yellow mustard blooms.  Our accomodations for the next two days, the Rivoli Boutique Hotel, was just a five minute walk from the train station, and we were welcomed by the friendly staff and a bottle of champagne from our travel agent.  After a quick change and getting our bearings, we set out to explore the city.

Our first stop was a local food market, Mercato Centrale, a bustling three-story culinary hub for both tourists and locals. A Google search says "it's a fantastic, vibrant stop to grab a bite, sample local ingredients, or escape the crowds".  Escape the crowds?!  It was packed!  Tim stood in line for the local favorite sandwich, while I set out to get us a couple glasses of beer.  What a way to start the day!

For this trip I used Wanderlog to find interesting places to visit - I highly recommend as I found quite a few places I had not even heard of before, including Cappelle Medicee, also known as the Medici Chapels.  This domed landmark serves as the burial place for 49 members of the powerful Medici family.  We learned that the House of Medici was an immensely powerful Italian banking family and political dynasty that dominated Florence during the Renaissance. Cosimo the Elder established their political reign, while his grandson, Lorenzo the Magnificent, ushered in the "golden age" of Italian art by generously funding brilliant creators like Michelangelo and Botticelli. The chapel features stunning adornments including granite, marble, semi-precious stones, and some of Michelangelo's most exquisite sculptures.  

Michelangelo abandoned the project in 1534 when he left for Rome, leaving several sculptures unfinished and the main tomb of Lorenzo the Magnificent completely without a monument.  In 1975, a secret chamber was discovered directly beneath the New Sacristy. Michelangelo hid here for several weeks in 1530 to escape execution by the Medici after he aligned with a short-lived Florentine republic.  The charcoal wall drawings he created while trapped in the dark room are now considered some of his deepest personal sketches.  Crazy.

The Chapels are an extension of the Basilica di San Lorenzo, which features an unfinished facade designed by Michelangelo and a library he also designed. It was originally built in the 4th century and later transformed into a magnificent Renaissance building by Filippo Brunelleschi (more on him later) from 1377 to 1446. 

We made our way through the crowded city streets (this was late April, not even close to the busy tourist season!), passed by the Piazza della Signoria, which functions as an outdoor museum. There were at least a dozen large sculptures, including a replica of Michelangelo's David, Hercules and Cacus by Baccio Bandinelli, and the Fountain of Neptune.

We then made our way across Ponte Vecchio, 'the old bridge'', a medieval bridge with a rich history dating back to Roman times. The bridge is home to many stores selling jewelry and souvenirs.   It has survived centuries of fierce floods and was famously the only bridge in Florence spared from destruction by retreating forces during World War II. 

Our second day in Florence was Sunday, and we were able to attend mass (in Italian!) at the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, a 15th-century Dominican church renowned for its frescoes by Gothic and early Renaissance masters.   

I had booked a 3-hour walking tour primarily for the Duomo, and I didn't think included the Galleria dell’Accademia, the renowned art museum that is famous for being home to the iconic David sculpture by Michelangelo.   So I booked a one off - then realized the day of (too late to cancel) that I had double booked David.  Oh well, we had two different experiences.

The first tour guide was actually studied  at the Galleria dell’Accademia, and had quite a passion for David.  After a short tour of several examples of both late-Gothic and Renaissance styles.  Most people just wanted to see David.  The guide shared  Michelangelo's sculpting process, how he selecting the finest, unblemished marble blocks and direct the quarrymen on how to extract and transport.  Once in his studio, he used a subtractive method, rooted in the philosophy of "freeing the figure" trapped inside a block of stone.   Michelangelo famously left many of his sculptures intentionally incomplete—a style known as non-finito, which makes the figure appear as if it is actively struggling to break free from the stone.

The guide shared how Michelangelo’s David captures the biblical hero before his battle with Goliath, deliberately positioned at the moment of tense mental focus rather than triumphant victory.  By doing so, Michelangelo created an iconic political metaphor for the Republic of Florence: a small but intellectually sharp underdog taking a defiant stand against massive tyrannical powers.  I'm going to be the first one to admit I did not know that David was that David.  the sash on his left arm is a slingshot, and he is holding a rock in his right hand.  A crazy coincidence was the fact that I was reading 'the Chronilogical Bible' using the Bible app at the time.  I started January 1, with a goal to finish it in one year. I just so happened to reading Samuel at the time, that very story of David and Goliath.

In the photos below there is a bronze bust of Michelangelo by Daniele da Volterra.

Our guide then took us to Piazza del Duomo, surrounded by some of the city's most iconic historical and artistic landmarks. At its center stands the magnificent Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, renowned for its stunning dome—the largest brick dome ever constructed—designed by the brilliant Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi. Actually the church was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, who died before it was finished, and Brunelleschi is the one that finished it. This architectural marvel is complemented by Giotto's Campanile (Giotto's Belltower) on one side and the Baptistery of St. John on the other.  We ended up having a very brief tour, and found that the climbing of the dome was cancelled since it was Sunday and they were prepping for Mass. Ugh.

Our next stop was the Baptistry, consecrated in 1059 by Pope Nicholas II.  It is an octagonal building arranged on three vertical levels and topped by a double vault consisting of eight internal vaults supporting a prism roof with the same number of sides. A  mosaic decoration, created between the 13th and 14th centuries, entirely covers almost all of the surfaces, and was under renovation during our visit.  The Gates of Paradise are a set of famous golden doors, created by Lorenzo Ghiberti in the mid-15th century.  The bronze doors stand at 16.6 feet tall and weigh approximately 3 tons. To protect these doors, replicas now adorn the Baptistery, however we did see the original doors at the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo nearby.   The doors are so detailed and beautiful that the Michelangelo declared they were fitting to be the "Gates of Paradise," which is how they got their iconic nickname.

After a full day of walking and history and mind-blowing works of art, we were exhausted.  We found a hotel famous for the rooftop sunsets, and were pleasantly surprised when they allowed us up no problem.  With wine in hand and rested legs, we watched the sun set over Florence.  Tomorrow, Siena.  

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