I was in
Florence for business last Thursday morning and the temptation to skive off and
have an afternoon off in Florence was just too strong to resist.
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| Firenze |
An
afternoon is too short to see very much in this city, but there were a couple
of things I wanted to do.
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| Fiume Arno, Firenze |
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| Fiume Arno, Firenze |
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| Uffizi, Firenze |
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| Palazzo Vecchio, Firenze |
The
highlight of the day was to climb up to the top of Brunelleschi’s dome that
dominates the city.
One climbs what seem like an endless number of
steps before exiting out onto a balcony above the altar. The view down to the
floor of the church makes one feel quite giddy. One is only half way up!
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| Duomo, Firenze |
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| Duomo, Firenze |
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| Duomo, Firenze |
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| Duomo, Firenze |
The stone
stairs then curve around between the inner and outer skin of the dome before
the final flight of stairs that climbs strait up and over the dome.
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| Duomo, Firenze |
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| Duomo, Firenze |
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| Duomo, Firenze |
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| Duomo, Firenze |
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| Duomo, Firenze |
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| Duomo, Firenze |
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| Duomo, Firenze |
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| Duomo, Firenze |
As on
climbs it is possible to glimpse the fishbone brickwork that is part of the
secret of how the structure manages to stand up. The dome was also built with
two skins to save weight.
The dome
still holds the record as the largest brickwork dome in the world. It was also
built without formwork between 1420 and 1436.
I also paid
a return visit to the Baptistery with its fantastic golden roof that dates from
the 13th century.
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
For our family,
this building has a special significance. My late Father in law who came from a
very ordinary Florentine family, was baptised here some 90 years ago, A picture
of another Italy where these incredible buildings were still being used for
their intended use and not as part of a Renaissance Disneyland that Florence and
some other Tuscan cities have become.
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
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| Battistero, Firenze |
I still had
some time after visiting the splendidly sober Basilica di san Lorenzo to climb
the Cathedral bell tower.
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| Basilico San Lorenzo, Firenze |
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| Basilico San Lorenzo, Firenze |
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| Basilico San Lorenzo, Firenze |
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| Basilico San Lorenzo, Firenze |
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| Basilico San Lorenzo, Firenze |
Almost as high as the dome this is a much
easier climb. The view of Brunelleschi’s dome from the top makes the climb worthwhile.
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| Firenze |
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| Firenze |
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| Firenze |
All that
remained to do was to buy some unsalted “Pane Toscana” and a typical Tuscan
Salami called “finocchiona”
with its particular Fennel flavour.
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| Ponte Vecchio, Firenze |
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| Antiquario, Firenze |
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| Antiquario, Firenze |
This is a good time of year to visit Florence. The unbearable
hot humid summer heat and the clogging crowds are absent. One is able to
actually enjoy ones visit to this city.
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