Each time I've been to Italy, the highlight of my trip has always been the few days in the middle I've spent in Florence. After a few soggy days in Bologna, I decided on Thursday that it was time to hop on a train and go to my favorite city in the world once again. I packed a small bag, knowing that a "day trip" would not quite suffice, and caught a bus to the train station, where the next train to Florence was leaving within minutes of my arrival. It was the first full sunny day since the day of my arrival in Italy, and I was all smiles as I watched the Italian countryside roll by
my window. An hour later I was on the streets in Florence, determined to see a few of the places that I had neglected to visit on my first two trips to the city, in addition to returning to a couple of my old favorites. First stop was the Museo del'Opera, the museum dedicated to preserving the tools and 
artwork instrumental in the building of Brunelleschi's dome and decorating Florence's grandest church. Two of the highlights of this museum's collection of masterpieces are Michaelangelo's "Pieta del Duomo" and "The Magdalene" of Donatello, the latter being carved of wood and the former being intended for Michaelangelo's tomb until he attempted to destroy it (for pictures of the tomb itself see below).
The next museum on my list of those I had not yet seen was the Museo di Storia della Scienza, which is where many of Galileo's telescopes 
now reside, among other things. Half of the museum was closed for renovations, but the half that I did see was well worth the trip. My high school geometry teacher, Marty Hawthorne, would love this place. There were all kinds of interactive exhibits showing the angles of light within a telescope and showing how Galileo figured out how to measure the height of the mountains on the moon (the existence of which was against church doctrine at the time) using the Pythagorean Theorem. I was just proud of myself for remembering what that was and how it worked!
After I'd had my fill of science I made a quick stop to pick up some handmade Florentine leather souvenirs and then made my way to my favorite of all Italian churches, Santa Croce.
This is where the tombs of Dante and Michaelangelo sit across from those of Galileo and Machiavelli, and a portion of the robe of St. Francis of Assisi is in a nearly unlabeled little room at the back of the church. In the adjacent (former) monastery buildings, there are works of Byzantine mastery that rival those found in the most famous museums in the world.
now reside, among other things. Half of the museum was closed for renovations, but the half that I did see was well worth the trip. My high school geometry teacher, Marty Hawthorne, would love this place. There were all kinds of interactive exhibits showing the angles of light within a telescope and showing how Galileo figured out how to measure the height of the mountains on the moon (the existence of which was against church doctrine at the time) using the Pythagorean Theorem. I was just proud of myself for remembering what that was and how it worked!
After I'd had my fill of science I made a quick stop to pick up some handmade Florentine leather souvenirs and then made my way to my favorite of all Italian churches, Santa Croce.
This is where the tombs of Dante and Michaelangelo sit across from those of Galileo and Machiavelli, and a portion of the robe of St. Francis of Assisi is in a nearly unlabeled little room at the back of the church. In the adjacent (former) monastery buildings, there are works of Byzantine mastery that rival those found in the most famous museums in the world. I finished my day with a trip to the San Lorenzo leather markets, and dinner at my favorite restaurant in my favorite city, Cinque Amici. I 
even managed to get a room at the same hotel I've stayed in each time I've been to Florence, the Hotel Balcony, where Domenico gave me an especially good rate and welcomed me back. Of all the places I've been in the world, Florence is the one that never disappoints!
even managed to get a room at the same hotel I've stayed in each time I've been to Florence, the Hotel Balcony, where Domenico gave me an especially good rate and welcomed me back. Of all the places I've been in the world, Florence is the one that never disappoints!
No comments:
Post a Comment