DRIVE TO FLORENCE AND TOUR DAY

DRIVE TO FLORENCE AND TOUR DAY

Leaving Milan we foolishly thought that after our adventure driving through the Alps that the mountain driving was complete for this trip.  First we had to get back down the mountain at Varenna which was easier than getting up but still interesting.  Then we needed to get out of the lake area.  It was a beautiful drive but a little nerve racking.  We finally made it out and through Milan.

That is when the rain started.  A1 was a good road but being on the Autostrada with rain is not the best place to be.  Fortunately it was uneventful until the traffic came to a screaming halt in the middle of a tunnel coming down a mountain.  The car in back of us was not paying attention and we were sure we would be crushed into the truck in front of us, but she slammed on her brakes and barely missed us.  A bit nerve-racking.  The traffic inched along for 30 minutes and at one point we just turned off our engine and waited.  When we got going again (we were thirty miles outside of Florence) we finally saw the source of the stoppage – a wreck involving several cars.  Luckily it was not ours.

We made it into Florence and found our hotel and headed to the bar for some well needed martinis.  The bar tender was pouring heavy but we were ready.  Settled from the marts, we headed into dinner which was excellent.  That coupled with a good bottle of Italian wine, we had no trouble sleeping.

Tuesday – Tour day

To understand or appreciate the art and buildings in Florence, you have to understand, that although its origins are Etruscan, Florence was founded in 59 B.C. by the Romans, who established an encampment along the Arno River called Florentia.  It has been invaded by the many countries and all of those cultures have been incorporated but also influenced the architecture and design of the city.   

The tour began on the Policitical Square of the city.  In the center of the political square was  Plaza  Della Signoria The Equestrian Monument of Cosimos 1 (Flemish artist Giambologna – 1594); also another marble fountain portraying Neptune (Ammannati-1575)  Lion statues, a copy of David, and Hercules and Cacus (Bandinnelli -1554) are all located in this area.  The next area within the square is Loggia dei lanzi where multiple statues were located all significant pieces of art.

Today, our focus was on the art.  On our tour to see the statute of David carved from marble by Michelangelo.  He had won a contest to carve the figure of David that had been worked on more than 50 years earlier possibly by Donatello.  At the time the marble was said to have had a flaw in it and the project was abandoned.  Michelangelo however was excited to have an opportunity to carve from it.  He was just starting his career and only 26 when he began this piece in 1501.   It stands thirteen feet high and is a remarkable piece of art.  It is located in the Accademia Gallery.  It was commissioned to represent the city of Florence because of the symbolism of David (Florence was a small city) could be seen winning battles against several different “Goliaths” (other large cities of power).

Also, included in the tour was a visit to the Doumo.  There are several centers of the city.  The Doumo is located in the “religious” section of the town.  I cannot even express how utterly amazing seeing three buildings within a few hundred feet of each other, built in different centuries, each architecturally amazing on their own.

In the afternoon, we visited the Uffizi Museum which had the largest collection of Renaissance Art outside the Vatican by one piece.  The Vatican would not allow the Medici family to have more than there was in their collection.  The Medici family were the “rich and powerful” of that era and managed to retain their status throughout their lives. They became a political power, a banking dynasty and produced four popes during their reign which began in the 14th century. In the end, the last remaining family member childless, and with no living relatives except distance cousins, donated the entire art collection to the City of Florence with the stipulation that the art never leave Florence.  It was housed in one of the government buildings built by the family and remains there.  It was magnificent.

It was too much to absorb and your senses were over stimulated and the same time of becoming numb to so much exposure to significant art and architecture in one place. 

We finished up by walking through town to catch our car back to the hotel.  We were exhausted but got ourselves cleaned up and enjoyed at dinner at the hotel.

Ciao!

Susan and Bill