Florence Day 2

 Florence-day 2

My day started much earlier than the day before as I set my alarm. I set it for 9 am, thinking that it would  wake me before I slept too late. Florence summer time zone ended last night here. My phone dropped the Wi-Fi, apparently earlier in the evening, so it did not adjust until I put WiFi back on in the morning. That means the alarm went off at 8am local time, instead of 9am, which was what it was set too. This meant that we had a leisurely time showering and getting ready. We then had breakfast at the hotel, before setting out on the 20 or so minute walk to the museum we decided to visit.

Our walk took us by the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

We did not go in as where you could get in required tickets, but this is a door into the baptistery 

These beautiful doors are one of the three into the baptistery. The fun fact is these doors’ friezes out of gold and have never been opened. They are truly amazing though.

The churches outside is finished in green and white marble

Many of the building that have ground floor window are heavily fortified with either iron grating or huge thick wood doors.

We reached the place that houses Michelangelo’s statue of David. The line was crazy long wrapping around at least two or three sides of the large block, so Dale pulled out his phone and booked an English speaking tour that was happening in about an hour and a half. After that we walked to their office a block away and found where we were to meet. Then we wandered to fill the time until we were to meet.

This was one of the homes of the Medici family. The family ruled Florence for around three hundred years. They were the bankers for the Popes

This was the church right around the corner from the Medici  house in the above picture. I would guess it was the primary church for the family

A couple of streets away we found the central market upstairs in a building. 

It looked like you could get all your food type groceries there and also have something to eat as well

This is the doors we went in and out of. They had an escalator to take you up, but you had to climb back down regular stairs

In the streets around this building was this huge open air markets. We did a little exploring of them. Florence is famous for many things. Two of which are their goldsmiths and their leather products 

We talked by the Medici church again on the way back to meet our tour just as the bells were ringing the hour. We met our group and proceeded to the Accademia Gallery. It was founded as a school to teach new artist at the end of the renaissance when some of the master’ started dying out. The city of Florence wanted to continue their tradition of supporting the arts. It is still a a working artist academy as well as a museum. It holds many of the music instruments of the Medici family and works of art in various stages of completion by many of the great masters of the renaissance.

This is the original plaster casting Giambologna did before he carved the marble statue. Most of the master carvers did this stage. The one major exception was Michelangelo 

On many of the extremely old painting before and around the renaissance the colors used to paint with were toxic and/or ground powdered stones for the color. The gold is still bright as it was actually golf leaf. These painting were extremely expensive then and now.

This is part of the musical instruments on display. The Medici family had many musicians in it. They are credited with the first “ upright” piano. It is the third from the right. You would have to have tall 

Ceilings to house it

They also had this herdy gerdy 

This viola is an original Stradivari made just by him for the Medici. It bears their crest and the guide said it was valued at 80 million euros. There was also a cello and violin, but due to not having the crest of the Medici family, they are only worth about 1/4 to 1/2 of that. A minor 20-40 million euros each. Even though they are all part of a quartet

This bronze of Michelangelo was made from his death mask when he died at the age of 89.

This is one of the four works in progress they have that Michelangelo was working on at his death.

A sculpture like these would take him between two and three years a piece.

This is the David. It took around three years and was carved out of the only piece of marble Michelangelo did not personal choose.

The detail of the figure is almost lifelike. You can see all the veins, muscles, and tendons of the figure 

The tour ended at the David, but our tickets allowed us to visit a couple of the other areas on our own. This room contained plaster cast various famous artist created to help them sculpt

If you look carefully you will see dots  on the plaster. These were used by the artist to proportion the sculptures if the did them larger or smaller than the casts

We stopped at sidewalk bodega for a bite of late lunch

Another view of the Cattedrale. It really shows the contrasting of white and green marble. The whole complex cover a large square.

Each entrance is different. We loved the mosaic on this one

Here is a view of that door from further back. We spent a bit more time looking at the building this pass

Also Lindt had a store on the corner by the square. I got a couple of bars and a few wrapped pieces to keep me in chocolate

Then we walked over to the Plaza Della Repubblicia, where they have the version of the arc of triumph, large statue on a pillar, and a Merry-go-round.

 There was also an Apple Store on the other side of that arch, so we spent a half hour plus replacing my watch and getting it set up. At least we had stools to sit most of that time

A closer picture of the arch

 Then we were on to Palazzo Vecchio. Dale went through the museum part and climbed the tower stairs yesterday. I was fine to skip that part.

This palace was the home of the head of the Medici family for the three hundred years they ruler Florence as the most powerful family there. This was the strongest ruler in family

It is surround by palazzo, statues, and a huge fountain.

Here is a replica of the David. It is impressive, but not in the same category as the original 

Dale had me go into the courtyard through the doors in the above picture. All parts of it are so elaborate 

Across from the entrance to the palace is an open air sculpture garden. Some are replicas, but some like the far right are the original marble sculptures 

To leave the palazzo you walked down this open air corridor. Their are statues of famous renaissance artist, writers, inventors, musicians, and other very powerful people. Dale joked that the Teenage Ninja Turtles were well represented with statues of each of their namesakes gracing an alcove.

From here we headed back to our hotel. I stayed in until dinner resting my feet, who have become wimps and hurt after a minor five or six mile walk. 

Dale took a break then he put more miles on his feet with a walk to the school of leather-working.

When he got back we went out to a nearby restaurant and had a nice dinner.

This evening I have mostly been working on this blog. It is about time for me to head to bed.

Night all