Famous Old Stuff
Florence, Italy, Tuesday, July 11
The day started early as we headed to get in line for the Uffizi museum. We arrived at about 8:05, ten minutes before the museum opens. Already, there was a line 100 yard long from the entrance. So we took our spot and began to wait. While Katie waited, Kevin went to a local café to grab cappuccinos and pastries for breakfast.
After a 90 minute wait we entered the museum. One of the great museums in the world, it includes Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”, the earliest known painting on canvas. Also present are two Da Vinci paintings, as well as one by Michaelangelo. The latter is the only complete painting by Michaelangelo in his home town of Florence, and is also the only painting he did prior to the Sistine Chapel. Despite a ban on photo taking in the museum, Kevin sneaked this picture of Katie looking at Da Vinci’s “The Annunciation”. Is she trying to crack the Da Vinci Code?
The museum is located in an old palace that housed the Medici administration which governed Florence. (Uffizi means “office”.) It is located on the Arno river and boasts some very pretty views of the famous Ponte Vecchio.
Katie, who has been grading public bathrooms in Rome and Florence, give the highest of high marks to the bathroom in the Uffizi. Housed in the basement, it is a must visit!
We left the museum, stopped briefly to drop off some books and postcards we bought in the gift shop, and then walked toward the Piazza San Croce for lunch. After a good lunch in a small restaurant/wine shop on the piazza, we toured the church. The Basilica San Croce is famous for being the final resting spot for Michaelangelo, Dante and Galileo. The founder of radio, Marconi, is also buried inside, though the tour guides don’t mention that. Michaelangelo's tomb is pictured below.
We grabbed some water for the walk across town to the Accadamia, home of Michaelangelo’s statue “David”. Upon arriving, we waited once again in a line to get in. Fortunately, in the mid-afternoon heat, we only had to wait less than an hour before getting in. Like other Italian sites like the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s, while impressive in photos “David” is even more impressive in person. Katie risked being yelled at by a short Italian woman who was trying desperately to enforce the “no photos” rule and sneaked a couple of shots.
The museum also includes several unfinished Michaelangelo statutes called “The Prisoners.” He began them for the tomb of Pope Julius II, but never finished and left the partially completed works in the Piazza St. Peter’s in Rome. They were eventually brought back to Florence.
(Note: Kevin has noticed several changes since he visited 12 years ago. One is the no photo rule at the Accadamia, the other is that it now costs to visit the Basilica San Croce.)
We are happy to be finished with the museum portion of our Italian tour. Tonight, we will be eating dinner near our hotel and then going to watch a free concert with pianist Phillip Glass in the Piazza Della Signora. (The original “David” first stood here, now a copy does.)
The day started early as we headed to get in line for the Uffizi museum. We arrived at about 8:05, ten minutes before the museum opens. Already, there was a line 100 yard long from the entrance. So we took our spot and began to wait. While Katie waited, Kevin went to a local café to grab cappuccinos and pastries for breakfast.
After a 90 minute wait we entered the museum. One of the great museums in the world, it includes Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”, the earliest known painting on canvas. Also present are two Da Vinci paintings, as well as one by Michaelangelo. The latter is the only complete painting by Michaelangelo in his home town of Florence, and is also the only painting he did prior to the Sistine Chapel. Despite a ban on photo taking in the museum, Kevin sneaked this picture of Katie looking at Da Vinci’s “The Annunciation”. Is she trying to crack the Da Vinci Code?
The museum is located in an old palace that housed the Medici administration which governed Florence. (Uffizi means “office”.) It is located on the Arno river and boasts some very pretty views of the famous Ponte Vecchio.
Katie, who has been grading public bathrooms in Rome and Florence, give the highest of high marks to the bathroom in the Uffizi. Housed in the basement, it is a must visit!
We left the museum, stopped briefly to drop off some books and postcards we bought in the gift shop, and then walked toward the Piazza San Croce for lunch. After a good lunch in a small restaurant/wine shop on the piazza, we toured the church. The Basilica San Croce is famous for being the final resting spot for Michaelangelo, Dante and Galileo. The founder of radio, Marconi, is also buried inside, though the tour guides don’t mention that. Michaelangelo's tomb is pictured below.
We grabbed some water for the walk across town to the Accadamia, home of Michaelangelo’s statue “David”. Upon arriving, we waited once again in a line to get in. Fortunately, in the mid-afternoon heat, we only had to wait less than an hour before getting in. Like other Italian sites like the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s, while impressive in photos “David” is even more impressive in person. Katie risked being yelled at by a short Italian woman who was trying desperately to enforce the “no photos” rule and sneaked a couple of shots.
The museum also includes several unfinished Michaelangelo statutes called “The Prisoners.” He began them for the tomb of Pope Julius II, but never finished and left the partially completed works in the Piazza St. Peter’s in Rome. They were eventually brought back to Florence.
(Note: Kevin has noticed several changes since he visited 12 years ago. One is the no photo rule at the Accadamia, the other is that it now costs to visit the Basilica San Croce.)
We are happy to be finished with the museum portion of our Italian tour. Tonight, we will be eating dinner near our hotel and then going to watch a free concert with pianist Phillip Glass in the Piazza Della Signora. (The original “David” first stood here, now a copy does.)
posted by Katie | 12:15 PM
1 Comments:
Likin' the David "deriere" (sp?) pic!
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