Wednesday, May 28, 2003
All right... now that I've had a decent night's sleep I think I'm somewhat more capable of talking coherently about yesterday's excursion to Florence. Before I left, someone told me that they didn't care for Florence so much. I can't remember precisely who that person was, but I have my suspicions. In any case, I would just like to say that whoever you are, you are soooo wrong.
We got up very early yesterday to catch the 7 o'clock train to Firenze. I'd never been on a train prior to this one, but I now know why any people believe it to be such a lovely experience: the views of the countryside are very beautiful and picturesque. I spent more of my time staring out the window and being impressed by the grandness of it all -- and that was even before we got to Florence.
In Florence, our first order of business was getting coffee and breakfast. I'd had a croissant before we departed, so I just ordered a caffe latte. I haven't spoken much about the coffee here yet, much to everyone's surprise, I'm sure. Well, let me just say, this stuff is like heaven on earth. Mom, yours is good, but you've got nothing on these people. Really. I've never had lattes like this: I can drink them easily without sugar or syrup. It's caffeinated perfection.
Anyway... after breakfast, we took the bus up the hill, near Santa Miniato al Monte -- which I will talk about shortly. As soon as I got off the bus, the first thing to greet me was the incredible view of the entire city: the stuccoed buildings piled on top of one another, the river and the remains of medieval walls dividing everything, and the amazing red-and-white dome of the cathedral, Brunelleschi's Duomo, rising up from the red roofs and lording over the city. It was as if the pictures fom my art history textbook had come to life: it was breathtaking.
We moved on next to the church, Santa Miniato al Monte, which is almost unassuming compared to the grandeur of the city and the other churches, but is no less impressive. Outside there is a beautiful Romanesque marble facade, with a lovely gold mosaic; inside the walls are covered with delicate frescoes of saints and religous figures, dominated by a shining mosaic of Christ in the apse. One of the monks began playing beautifully on the organ before we left, as I sat and sketched. I drew parts of the apse and the columns, and did a short sketch of a young monk who was cleaning the floors, and having difficulty with the vacuum cleaner.
We continued downhill and into the main part of the city, where we visited the church of Santa Croce, which has a very brilliant white facade that isn't nearly as old as the rest of the church; its creation was funded by an eighteenth century British nobleman. Outside by the steps there is a huge statue of Dante, which stares menacingly down at those who gaze up at him; Dante is always depicted as looking rather angry. On the inside, the floor of the church is covered with old tombstones, and to the sides are small, beautiful chapels, as well as enormous funeral monuments in honor of some of the great names of the Renaissance: Michelangelo, Dante, Machiavelli. There are sculptures by Donatello and work attributed to Giotto (though more likely done by his followers). The ceiling and columns tower above everything, and all is illuminated by the briliant stained glass windows behind the altar. Just outside the church is the small Pazzi chapel, which was designed by Brunelleschi for the Pazzi family, who were expelled from Florence by the Medicis and never saw its constuction completed. It's a small but lovely building, so plain in comparison and yet even more beautiful than the vast white facade of the church itself.
After Santa Croce we were on our own for a few hours. I headed off with one of my roommates, my TA, and another woman, who were going to visit the only syagogue in Florence. We stopped by this little restaurant to grab lunch, a hole in the wall called Pane e Vino, where the four of us ate for about 20 euro and I enjoyed the best tortellini I have ever had in my life.
Th synagogue was an experience I was glad to have, since this building isn't found anywhere on our iteneraries and probably never will be. It was constructed between 1874 and 1882, after the Jews of Florence had been completely liberated by the unification of Italy in 1861. It's a large building in the moorish style, a definite change of pace from the churches; the doorways and arches have an intricate scalloped designs, the stained glass windows have a simplistic geometric style, and the entire synagogue, from ceiling to floor, is covered in gorgeous repeated patterns, almost floral in appearance, that are amazingly beautiful but somehow not overwhelming or busy. The building was almost entirely empty and silent -- very different from the crowds of tourists that piled through the churches, listening to their guides who spoke boredly in various languages. It was more peaceful than anywhere else I'd been yesterday.
We had a slight misadventure with the security at the synagogue -- our TA had left eary and taken the token needed for the others to reclaim their bags, and we had to track her down. Of course, this was just another excuse to sit in a cafe and have a latte, so it wasn't so bad an experience. We missed going into the baptistry at the cathedral because of it, but I'm sure I can visit there another time. I got to see the wonderful doors, at least. Our group went off to the art supply store next, which is a fantastic little shop -- I got watercolors and pencils, and split the cost of oil paints with another girl, and I am ready to start painting. :)
We walked for miles all over Florence, but I didn't even notice the fatigue until I sat down on the train again. I somehow ended up sitting with my professors and their families, who decided that they all wanted to see my sketchbook. Apparenly Bradley Petersen is fairly impressed with me. I beamed for a while until the conversation turned to other things, and I fell asleep.
Today we have classes, but tomorrow we go to Asissi. Even though I'm still sort of tired from yesterday, I can't wait. I've not even been here a week, and I am already in love with this place.
Till later...
| 2:19 AM |
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