Our first day in Firenze began with a quick train ride from Rome to Florence. Most people slept the hour and a half, hoping to get a few more minutes more of sleep before a long day of walking and touring began.
We began at the Church of San Lorenzo then walked over to the Duomo. The architecture and arts outside the Duomo are nothing like what we have seen in Rome. The colors are vibrant, and the size grand. We learned about the history, how the church was built. Originally the church was commissioned to have a dome, but at the time they did not know how to build a proper dome, but expected that by the time the church was completed that someone would know how to build it, but this was not the case. The church sat without a roof for 120 years until Brunelleschi came and convinced the guilds to allow him to build it, despite his lack of experience. He was a skilled architect, employing new techniques never used before, and keeping his workers content by serving them lunch and watering down their wine. Today the dome is quite large, 463 steps to the top that a few of us climbed for the view of the whole city.
The baptistery outside the main church houses the “Gates of Paradise” done by Ghiberti and gilded in gold. The original doors are not present outside the baptistery, only copies. Around the baptistery are other doors by artists, depicting stories from the Old Testament and the life of Jesus.
A large factor contributing to the growth of Florence as a cultural center in the 15th century was the fact that Florence was a Republic. This allowed guilds and families to earn their own power by patronization and competition. The Orsanmichelle is a chapel of large size that housed the guilds’ center. Outside are niches that were given to each guild to fill with a saint. The guilds competed to have the most beautiful and spectacular niche with their saint. If they didn’t fill it, it became available to the other guilds to fill. These, along with many other factors, made Florence a cultural center for arts, politics, and society.
After a break for lunch and adventures we went on to the Church of Santa Croce. I found this church to be so simple and beautiful. Unlike the churches in Rome, these churches still feature the classic Gothic style. They simply house and point to the splendor of Jesus and are not as overwhelming as the gilded churches in Rome that have their ceilings covered in frescos and art work. In Florence the rafters of the church are painted simply and there are not the classic side chapels.
We returned to our hotel to do some reading, homework and napping, and then went out for our group dinner. Trattoria ZaZa had great food which each of us got to order off the menu. Many of us chose ravioli with truffle sauce, gnocchi, or wild boar sauce to try new things. These dishes are classic in the area where truffles an wild boars are common to the Tuscan region. The secondi featured sausage, chicken, and many other fine dishes. Fine dolce of crème custards, panna cotta, and strawberries in lemon. The meal was overall a great experience, with fun conversation, and developing new friendships. Our first day in Florence ended with a little walking around, and then very needed sleep for our the days to come in Firenze.
Ciao: Maggie Harlow
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