Florence Revisited

Florence viewed from the Piazzale Michelangelo

The last time I was in Florence was during my junior year in college, when I spent a semester studying art in that wonderful city. I left there in the beginning of May to hitchhike around Europe with a friend. My last look at Florence was the view from Piazzale Michelangelo. It broke my heart to leave, but I knew I'd be back. 

I didn't expect it to take so long for my return.

Florence's famous Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) spans the Arno River

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

After a week at the Tenuta di Spannocchia, near Siena, I said goodbye to my watercolor workshop friends and checked into a hotel in the heart of Florence. It was a short walk to the Piazza del Duomo, where the huge orange-tiled dome of the  Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (St. Mary of the Flower) looms above the square. Looking up at the dome and the massive concoction of white, green, and pink marble that it crowns, I remembered how overwhelmed I was the first time I saw Santa Maria del Fiore. Until then I had never seen a church that was covered in anything but wood, brick or stone. And I had never seen a church so massive in size! It was so big, so beautiful, and so exotic. Since then I've traveled a lot, and have seen many huge, beautiful churches. But seeing this magnificent church still has a powerful effect.



As a student I had climbed up into that beautiful dome- designed by Filippo Bruelleschi in the early 15th century. It's still the largest masonry dome ever built! The view of Florence from up there was wonderful. I wouldn't go up in the dome this trip. The line to enter the cathedral was too long. There were a lot of other places I wanted to revisit in Florence. Waiting in line would waste precious time. 

My Via Pier Capponi home

Visiting my old neighborhood was a top priority. As a student I had lived in a big house on Via Pier Capponi, near Piazza della Libertà. An elderly Contessa rented rooms in the house, which was her home. My room was in the front of the building, with a balcony overlooking the street. When I returned to Florence last October, I found the house easily and was happy to see that it's well taken care of. It appears that the building has been made into apartments. 

Via Dei Servi, approaching the Duomo

I followed the same route back from Via Pier Capponi to the Duomo that I had walked so many times all those years ago. I wanted to relive the thrill of seeing the surreal vision of the marble Duomo looming at the end of narrow Via dei Servi. It is just as beautiful as I remembered.

Birth of Venus detail

On Sunday I spent two hours in the wonderful Uffizi Galleries. The place was mobbed. The museum has a very large collection of religious paintings. I saw numerous adorations, crucifixions, annunciations, and Madonnas with children painted by a variety of Medieval and Renaissance artists. It was a relief to finally come upon Sandro Botticelli's beautiful Birth of Venus, a non-religious painting that (by a stroke of luck) was not mobbed by a tour group when I entered the room. 

The broad windowed hallways and stone stairwells of the Uffizi were not so crowded, and they held plenty of artworks to enjoy. Many were sculptures and portraits of prominent Florentines. I was amazed by how unflattering some of the portraits were! Lots of big, unusual noses. Maybe the fellow in this portrait was proud of his huge crooked nose.

One of my favorites was this sculpted portrait of a cardinal. A profile only a mother could love.

Michelangelo's David

When I was studying in Florence, I was able visit the David statue in the Galleria del'Academia often, using my student pass. In the winter months there was no waiting line. Sometimes I'd be the only person there, drinking in the beauty of Michelangelo's masterpiece in its tranquil setting. This time I had to share David with a multitude, all of us looking up in admiration at the marvel that Michelangelo carved out of a single piece of white marble. 

The Basilica di Santa Croce

Thanks to my Italian conversation group friends Walter and Sharon (who met in Florence, and lived there for a time in the 1970s), I had a Florentine guide for three mornings. His name is Massimo- "Max" for short. Max has lived in Florence all his life. He and Walter became good friends while working as tour guides in the city's famous Scuola del Cuoio (Leather School) at the Monastery of the Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross). One morning I met Max at Santa Croce, which is the world's largest Franciscan church. 

Michelangelo's tomb in Santa Croce

The tombs of some Florentine greats are in Santa Croce, including those of Machiavelli, Galileo, and Michelangelo. Michelangelo had promised his body to Florence, but he died in Rome. His body was stolen from Rome and smuggled to Florence in a horse cart! The Pope, who wished to bury the famous sculptor in Rome, was not happy with the theft. But he allowed Florence to keep Michelangelo's remains.

Santa Croce's Chapel of the Novitiate

The Basilica of Santa Croce has sixteen chapels. Walter and Sharon were married in one of them- the 15th century Chapel of the Novitiate, which was built for Cosimo di Medici. A beautiful Della Robbia glazed terra-cotta altarpiece adorns the wall above the altar. What a romantic setting for a wedding.

15th century fresco above the corridor entrance

After Max and I toured the church and its lovely cloisters we visited the leather school. The scuola is housed in Santa Croce's former Franciscan Monastery. Its main corridor is decorated with 15th century frescoes and coats of arms of the Medici family who donated this wing to the friars. In the corridor we met Francesca Gori, a daughter of the leather school's founder. She was delighted to see Max, and arranged a VIP tour for us! 

A young leather worker gave us a demonstration of hand tooled embossing on a leather tray, using gold leaf and ancient tools from the scuola's collection. His work table was at the far end of the corridor. At the other end of the corridor, glass cases held samples of the beautiful- and VERY expensive- handmade leather goods that the scuola produces.

A mountain of fruit in the Mercato Centrale

The next morning Max took me to Florence's huge Mercato Centrale for a panino con il lampredotto. Florentines have been enjoying this specialty since the 1500s. Sharon and Walter had raved about lampredotto, which is made from the "fourth and final" stomach of a cow. I was curious, and asked Max where I could find this culinary treat. He took me to Nerbone's, a food stall in the Mercato that has been serving lampredotto since the market opened its doors in the 1870s. The lampredotto was served with green chili sauce. Max insisted that we have a glass of red wine with it (at 11 in the morning!) It was an unusual, delicious lunch!

Nerbone's, and its famous panino con il lampredotto

Max at Pasticceria Sieni

After the lampredotto lunch, Max took me to another great Florentine hangout, the Pasticceria Sieni. He said it was one of the best cafes in Florence for a good cappuccino. 
I wasn't disappointed. 

Max was a great guide, and lot of fun. Walter and Sharon and I hope that he'll come to Pennsylvania sometime so we can show him around, and introduce him to some of our local culinary treats- like scrapple :-)

The Palazzo Vecchio

On my last evening in Florence I returned to see the Duomo, and to the Piazza della Signoria for a last look at the beautiful Palazzo Vecchio- the "Old Palace" that serves as the city hall. The ancient buildings were gorgeous at night, lit up and glowing against the night sky. I was sad, having to say goodbye to Florence again. But the beauty of this Renaissance city at night washed away those feelings.

There's an old saying- you can't go back again- meaning that the experience is never as good when you return to a place that played an important role in your past. The saying didn't hold true for me this time. I enjoyed every moment of my return visit to Florence. 

And I'll be back, beautiful Florence...I promise.