Tag Archives: Piazza della Signoria

November 28, 2012 · 10:21 am

Buon Natale: Interesting Holiday Events in Florence Italy

: Image via Wikipedia

Florence is the world’s celebrated jewel of Renaissance art and architecture. It is famous for perfect voluptuous domes and intimate restaurants with perfect steaks and wine. The Uffizi is the perfect art museum and and the Palazzo Pitti has the perfect Royal apartments. The Accademia has the perfect sculptures and the Baptistry has the perfect doors. Even the tombs are perfect at Santa Croce. The leather is perfect, the silk is perfect and the perfume made at Santa Maria Novella is perfect.

Accademia – DSC 1177 ep (Photo credit: Eric.Parker)

Via Tornabuoni is a perfect street for shopping with designer powerhouses like Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Enrico Coveri, Roberto Cavalli and Emilio Pucci willing to sell you holiday goodies. Even the Piazzas are perfect! Florence is the perfect UNESCO site with many perfect “Vino con Vista” opportunities.

English: Loggia dei Lanzi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Florence rose to economic and cultural pre-eminence under the mighty Medici dynasty in the 15^th and 16th centuries. The churches, galleries and palaces contain the world’s largest concentration of Renaissance artand sculpture.

loggia dei lanzi florence (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Perseus holding the head of Medusa, by Benvenuto Cellini, Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence; Italie Français : Persée tenant la tête de Méduse, par Benvenuto Cellini, Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence, Italie. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Palais Pitti, Florence (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The city was built on the site of an Etruscan settlement, and has 600 years of extraordinary artistic activity. It is an incredibly compact city for walking. Walk to the Piazzale Michelangeloat sunset for a perfect glimmering moonlit cityscape. Marvel at Florence’s panoramic glory as the cloak of darkness descends over her dimly lit splendor.

“The Rape of Polyxena”, sculpture by Pio Fedi (1816-1892), in 1866 : Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence, Italy. Photo by Thermos. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Natural and man-made disasters have threatened the city’s wealth of art history and perfection. In 1966, the Arno River’s devastating flood destroyed or severely damaged Florentine treasures. In 1993, a mafia bomb exploded near the Uffizi and severely damaged the gallery. The Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge to escape Nazi bombs.

Loggia dei Lanzi. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Her glorious past is evident in the monumental grandeur and perfection of her structures: the 13th-century cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, the Church of Santa Croce, the Uffizi, Santa Maria Novella, the Galleria dell’Accademia, the Bargello and the Pitti Palace. Works of art history grace every public building. Landmark cloisters, chapels and refectories are galleries of perfect Renaissance art.

The façade of Santa Maria Novella, completed by Leon Battista Alberti in 1470. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Loggia dei Lanzi (Photo credit: **Mary**)

Stroll the Via dei Calzaiuoli, between Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Signoria and imagine the creative genius that flourished in this city; evidenced by the works in the Loggia dei Lanzi. The Loggia was originally designed to shelter dignitaries watching civic ceremonies.

The Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna, in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This elegant, compact city, is bounded on the southern side by the glistening Arno River. Distinctive works of great masters such as Giotto, Brunelleschi, Botticelli and Michelangelo adorn every nook and cranny of this perfectly majestic city. Visit Florence during the holidays for the perfect vacation.

Perfect Holiday Events in Florence:

German Christmas Market in Piazza Santa Croce from December 1- 19

“Florence Noel” at the Stazione Leopoldo from December 4-12

“Fierucola di Natale” in Piazza Santo Spirito on December 19th

Christmas Party in Gambassi Terme on December 4-5

17th Annual “Sagra Antichi Sapori di Toscana” at Lastra a Signa December 3-8

“Sagra del Tartufo e Antichi Sapori del Mugello” in Borgo San Lorenzo December 8-12

Happy Holidays from Vino con Vista

Buon Natale and Happy Holidays from www.vino-con-vista.com

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Filed under Christmas in Florence Italy, ebooks, Florence Italy, IPad, Italian art, Italian Wine, Italy, Italy Travel Guides, Travel and Tourism, UNESCO, vino con vista, World Heritage Sites

Tagged as Arno, Arno River, Buon Natale: Holiday Events in Florence Italy, Florence, Florence Cathedral, Gambassi Terme, italian food, Italian wine, Italy, italy travel, Italy Travel Guide, Loggia dei Lanzi, Palazzo Pitti, Piazza della Signoria, Piazza Santa Croce, Piazzale Michelangelo, Renaissance, Renaissance art, Renaissance Florence, Santa Croce, Santa Maria del Fiore, Travel and Tourism, Tuscany, vino con vista, Who is buried at Santa Croce in Florence, World Heritage Site

October 14, 2012 · 11:32 am

“Bonfire of the Vanities” in Florence Italy in 1497

San Marco Convent (1440) is the former monastery of the Dominicans in Florence, Italy. It was commissioned by Cosimo the Elder Medici. The history of the cloisters, dormitories and cells is linked to Fra Angelico, Fra Bartolomeo and contoversial Friar Girolamo Savonarola. Friar Girolamo Savonarola was the Prior of the convent. The convent is a museum now. During the 15th century, it was the home of two famous Dominicans: the painter Fra Angelico and the preacher, Girolamo Savonarola. The convent’s library was built by Michelozzo. It has a famous collection of manuscripts.

Fra Angelico, Annunciation at the top of the stairs, San Marco (Photo credit: profzucker)

The convent contains most of Fra Angelico’s work since he spent most of his life at San Marco. Two of may favorites are: “Last Judgment” (1432-35) and “The Annunciation” (1450). The annunciation is at the top of the stairs in San Marco.

Girolamo Savonarola (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Annunciation, painted by Fra Angelico (1387-1455) (Florence) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fra Bartolomeo’s portrait of “Savonarola” is shown in this post and is located in the Museum of San Marco. Girolamo Savonarola was an eloquent and persuasive Dominican priest and the perpetrator of a “Bonfire of the Vanities” in the Piazza della Signoria.

c. 1437-1446 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He used his puritanical influence to denounce decadent objects including art and books and encouraged Florentine residents to torch immoral objects that led to moral corruption. This was before the days of Sarbannes-Oxley and Enron.

Execution of Girolamo Savonarola in the Piazza della Signoria, Florence. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Plaque commemorating the spot where Girolamo Savonarola was executed in the Piazza Della Signoria, Florence. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The theocratic leader with an aversion for evil and dishonesty was ultimately hanged and burned in 1498 in Piazza della Signoria. There is a plaque commemorating this spot in Piazza Della Signoria.

La Predica di Savonarola (Photo credit: Morkai79)

View at Piazza della Signoria from the front balcony of Palazzo Vecchio, in Florence (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a great Vino con Vista Site in Florence. When you admire his portrait in the Dominican convent of San Marco that was painted by Fra Bartolomeo in 1498 look at the Latin inscription. It says: “Portrait of the Prophet Jerome of Ferrara, sent by God.”

Monument to Girolamo Savonarola in Piazza Savonarola, Florence, Italy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dr. Eveann Lovero writes Travel Guides to Italy and

Vino Con Vista Travel Guides can be purchased at these sites.

To learn more about Italian art and history visit www.vino-con-vista.com

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Filed under Bonfire of the Vanities, Florence, IPad, Italian art, Italy, Italy Travel Guides, Renaissance Art, Savonarola, UNESCO, vino con vista, World Heritage Sites

Tagged as Annunciation, Bonfire of the Vanities, Dominican Order, Florence, Fra Angelico, Fra Bartolomeo, Girolamo Savonarola, History, Italy, Last Judgment, Palazzo Pitti, Piazza della Signoria, Renaissance Florence, San Marco, Travel and Tourism, Tuscany, unesco, vino con vista, What is the BOnfire of the Vanities, Where is Piazza della Signora, Who is Savonarola, World Heritage Site

June 2, 2012 · 11:32 am

Picture yourself in Florence Italy: Ammanati’s Fountain of Neptune

: Image via Wikipedia

Bartolomeo Ammanati’s Fountain of Neptune (1575) is located in the Piazza della Signoria. It is my favorite fountain in Florence and it depicts the Roman god of the sea surrounded by water nymphs and was built to commemorate Tuscan naval victories. The face of the large figure of Neptune bears a resemblance to Cosimo I. Ammanati worked for Duke Cosimo I and served as an architect on the Pitti Palace.