England

Views
Duomo
Around the Town
Basilica Santa Croce
Piazzale Michelangelo

Ponte Vecchio
San Lorenzo Basilica
Medici Tombs
Outdoor Market
Uffizi

City Walls
Food
Cats
Tina

View of the Florence Duomo from Piazzale Michelangelo

We arrived in Florence from Pisa; about an hour by train. This was our third time to Florence so we only stayed 1 night. We visited the Accademia Museum to see Michelangelo's David for the second time and the Uffizi Museum for the first time to see works by Michelangelo, da Vinci and others.

Florence is a great town with plenty to see and do. There are still things on our list we have not done so hopefully we will return in the future.

From Florence we took an hour bus ride to Poggibonsi where we changed bussed to for the 20 minute ride to San Gimignano.

Views: Views of the city from Piazzale Michelangelo.

Duomo: The basilica was built on the site of a previous cathedral, Santa Reparata (locals of Florence continued to call the Cathedral by this former name for some time after reconstruction), and was inspired by the new cathedrals in Pisa and Siena. By the end of the 13th century, the nine-centuries-old church of Santa Reparata was crumbling with age, as attested in documents of that time such as the Nuova Cronica of Giovanni Villani (1276–1348). Furthermore, it had become too small in a period of rapid population expansion. Prosperous Florence also wanted to exceeded in size Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, Saint Paul's Cathedral in London, the Seville Cathedral, and the Milan Cathedral.

The new church was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296 (although the design was altered several times and later reduced in size). Arnolfo di Cambio was also the famous architect of the church of Santa Croce and the Palazzo Vecchio. He designed three wide naves ending under the octagonal dome, with the middle nave covering the area of Santa Reparata. The first stone was laid on September 9, 1296 by Cardinal Valeriana, the first papal legate ever sent to Florence. The building of this vast project was to last 170 years, the collective efforts of several generations.

Around the Town: Various photos from around the town.

A door knocker

Atop some church spires

Basilica Santa Croce: The (Basilica of the Holy Cross) is the principal Franciscan church in Florence and a minor basilica of the Roman Catholic Church. It is situated on the Piazza di Santa Croce, about 800 meters south east of the Duomo. The site, when first chosen, was in marshland outside the city walls. It is the burial place of some of the most illustrious Italians, such as Michelangelo, Donatello, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, Gentile, Rossini, Marconi and Fermi, thus it is known also as the Pantheon of the Italian Glories (Tempio dell'Itale Glorie or Pantheon dell'Itale Glorie).

Well we messed up again. We did not go inside the church as you must pay to enter and we were not sure what was inside. There sign outside was written in Italian and could not figure it out. We were at the door but decided not to enter as we were leaving soon on our bus to San Gimignano and had already been to two other museums that day. Had we known all the tombs were inside, we definitely would have entered. This is something that is on our list should we return to Florence in the future.

Piazzale Michelangelo: This plaza is located on the hill outside of the town center about a 20 minute walk away. Cross the Ponte Vecchio bridge and go left or cross the other bridge you will see located at the bottom of the hill.

Part of the old city walls seen from the plaza.

Ponte Vecchio: The Ponte Vecchio (Italian for Old Bridge) is a Medieval bridge over the Arno River noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers.

Make note of the single scull in the river

Walkway next to the bridge

Walking across the bridge

San Lorenzo Basilica: The Basilica is one of the largest churches of Florence, Italy, situated at the centre of the city’s main market district, and the burial place of all the principal members of the Medici family. It is one of several churches that claim to be the oldest in Florence; when it was consecrated in 1393 it stood outside the city walls. For three hundred years it was the city's cathedral before the official seat of the bishop was transferred to Santa Reparata. San Lorenzo was also the parish church of the Medici family.

In the church are the Medici Tombs with statues carved by Michelangelo.

Medici Tombs: Photos not allowed so I found these on the Internet.

Outdoor Market: Florence has a huge outdoor market and is a great place for shopping for leather items. The market starts by the San Lorenzo Basilica.

Palace Vecchio: This is the old town hall overlooking the Piazza della Signoria.

Piazza della Signoria: The Piazza is a unique outdoor sculpture gallery and a great place to hang out and relax. Several of the statues are originals while others are copies. We had dinner on evening at one of the several restaurants in the plaza.

Michelangelo's David - The original statue was moved from the initial location in the Piazza to the Accademia Museum in 1873. We visited the Accademia on this trip as well as an earlier trip. From everything we have seen, the statue of David is still the most impressive.

Once you enter the museum and give the person your ticket, turn immediately turn to your left and walk through the doorway. You will see the statue of David at the end of the long hallway. Lining the hallway up to the statue are other unfinished statues by Michelangelo. The museum does not allow photos but photos would never come close to capturing the actual experience of seeing The David in person.

The Rape of the Sabine Women - 1583, the writhing figures in Giambologna's famous statue were carved from a single block of flawed marble.

Perseus holding Medusa's head - 1554

Neptune Fountain - 1575

Misc. Statues

Dinner

Uffizi: The Uffizi Gallery is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world and is housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi. Photos are not allowed inside but we saw works by Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael, Titian and many more. The gallery is located next to the Palace Vecchio and the Piazza della Signoria.

The courtyard of the Uffizi.