The Facade of the Duomo
Our hotel was around the corner from the Duomo, so this became a familiar site.
Date: 07/25/2007
View of the Piazza della Rebubblica from the Top of the Dome
One of my first activities in a medieval city is to climb to the highest point, so we immediately climbed the steps of the cathedral to the top of the dome.
Date: 07/25/2007
Rib Supporting the Dome
Dome architect Filippo Brunelleschi used ribs to support the weight of the dome.
Date: 07/25/2007
Eric and LeAnn with Sante Croce in Background
Arms length self portrait from the top of the dome.
Date: 07/25/2007
Eric at the Gates of Paradise
The Gates of Paradise are the east doors of the Babistery. The panels were designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti .
Date: 07/25/2007
Close-Up of a Bapistery Door Panel
This panel depicts Moses and the Ten Commandments. This is a copy, but we did see some of the originals in the nearby Duomo Museum.
Date: 07/25/2007
View of Pitti Palace with Obelisk
A steep hill ascends from the palace into the Boboli Gardens, offering views of the palace and an Egyptian Obelisk.
Date: 07/26/2007
Eric with Fountain at the Pitti Palace
Exhausted from the heat, Eric forces out a smile.
Date: 07/26/2007
LeAnn Browsing for Charms on the Ponte Vecchio
LeAnn had a surprisingly difficult time in Florence finding charms for her bracelet. She eventually found a tiny David.
Date: 07/26/2007
Sante Croce Church
This church houses the tombs of Renaissance notables such as Galileo and Michelangelo.
Date: 07/26/2007
David
A copy of the David stands in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. The original is several blocks north in the Galleria dell'Accademia.
Date: 07/26/2007
Interior of the Dome
Most domes feature biblical scenes, but this one was especially realistic, and a bit creepy with demons chewing on bodies.
Date: 07/27/2007
Mosaics in the Babistery Dome
The Babistery's art predates that of the duomo and is in the gothic style, but still very impressive.
Date: 07/27/2007
Porcellino and LeAnn
Rubbing the snout of the "Little Pig" statue in the Mercato Nuovo is said to bring good luck.
Date: 07/27/2007
The Orsanmichele Church
This church was originally an open grain marke, and each of the major guilds had a statue in a niche. Donatello had two influential statues here, including his St. George.
Date: 07/27/2007
The Shadow of David
The setting sun cast David's shadow onto the front wall of the Palazzo Vecchio.
Date: 07/27/2007
Medieval Bank in Sienna
Some of the oldest banks in Europe can be found in Florence's neighboring hilltop town of Sienna.
Date: 07/28/2007
Another Bank in Sienna
The gothic arches with three windows are very distinctive in Sienna.
Date: 07/28/2007
Sienna Campanile
The number of windows per floor increases as on the upper floors to reduce the weight born by the lower floors.
Date: 07/28/2007
The Facade of the Siena Duomo
Sienna was unable to build big due to soft soil, so it focused on creating ornate cathedrals.
Date: 07/28/2007
Interior of the Duomo
The strong horizontal striping creates a sense of vertigo with gazing upwards.
Date: 07/28/2007
Inlaid Marble in the Floor
This technique of creating a mosaic image by inlaying marble seemed to be unique to Sienna.
Date: 07/28/2007
Looking up at the Tower
Taken from inside the City Hall courtyard. I was trying to create this picture from Daily Dose of Imagery.
Date: 07/28/2007
Il Campo
This photo shows a small section of the piazza known as Il Campo. Twice a year a horse race is run as a competition between the districts of the city.
Date: 07/28/2007
Main Gate of San Gimignano
About an hour from Florence by bus, San Gimignano is an enchanting hilltop town.
Date: 07/28/2007
View of the Tuscan Countryside
The picturesque drive to this small down featured views of vinyards and orchards.
Date: 07/28/2007
LeAnn Leans on a Well
We climbed steep streets to reach this park near the highest point in town.
Date: 07/28/2007
A Clear View of Several Towers
Eight out of the fourteen towers can be seen in this view.
Date: 07/28/2007
