Italy 2014 Day Eleven

Our last day in Florence, in Italy. Coughing, tired, determined...

First stop the Duomo. Enormous and phenomenal.
The dome built in by Brunelleschi in 1463 is 296 feet tall, the tallest building in Florence.
It looms from every view.
We climbed up the 463 claustrophobic steps to the dome...

The 360 degree views outside.

The campanile or bell tower was built in 1359 nearly 100 years before the dome. It is impossible for me to understand how they were able to do this work, then. we tend to think we are at the top of technology, but then you see what was done nearly 800 years ago, all for the love of God...

The baptistery is one of the oldest buildings in the city.
Originally built as a pagan temple it was remodeled in the 13th century.
The ceiling mosaics tell the story of the bible with the risen Christ at its focus.

San Lorenzo, another Brunelleschi work from 1425 commissioned by the Medici family,
the power and political base of 13th century Florence.

The cloister garden.

The bibliotheca, stairway is a Michelangelo design.

Desks...

The collection on view was called Animalia with parchment texts.

The sacristy, in the church itself, was done by Brunelleschi and decorated by Donatello.

Happened upon Orsanmichele with its ornate Virgin and Child Alter from 1338.

The paper shop Giannini.

Purchases were made.

Palazzo Pitti was closed. It was built by Luca Pitti in an effort to keep up with the Medici family who then bought it from bankrupt relatives after Pitti's death making it their residence. Take that Pitti! Damn power hungry Medici family. Their influence is admirable and disgusting in a way to me.

 

We found Il Torchio, a must stop in Florence.

Nina is a Canadian-cum-Florencian who builds books here.

We kinda died...

but bought stuff just before.

Back across Arno,

stopping to watch the moon rise.

My Alisa...

a final dinner and ciao to Italy...