Walking & Talking (Part 2)

Florence

Capital of Abundance: the only
remaining feature from the old square

After taking stock of the Duomo and admiring Giotto’s Campanile (Bell Tower), it was time to glide down wide streets to Piazza della Repubblica, once a central marketplace and Jewish quarter, demolished in 1860’s to create a public space befitting an Italian national capital. 

The mantle of capital was later reassigned to Rome, so now, other than a few reminders of those days such as the Triumphal Arch and a lone free standing pillar, the area is now assigned to glamorous cafes, exhausted shoppers and selfie-taking sightseers.  The square was once considered the "lounge" of Florence.

(For those interested in all things art, Futurist Movement ideologies were launched here in 1909 by intellectuals of the day from popular cafe, Guibbe Rosse.) 

You could be forgiven for not noticing the nearby Church of Unionists, Orsanmichele, for it looks remarkably “warehouse”.  It began life as a grain store but following a revamp in the 14^th c, its exterior was studded with 14 niches, each given over to a patron saint of a trade Guild of its time; John the Baptist (Textiles Guild), St George (Armourers Guild) and St Mark (Linen Drapers Guild) to name a few.  Needless to say, most sculptures were completed by celebrated Renaissance artists.

This (left) is St Mathew, by Ghiberti for the Cambio Bankers.  So, even bankers and lawyers had patron saints!    

 

Trying to get a photo without someone's hand patting his nose or putting a coin
in his mouth was almost impossible.  Clearly, we all subscribe to superstition!

Turn the corner and Logge del Mercato Nuovo, a covered market (revamped in 1574), greets visitors with a variety of stalls, nowadays all bulging with souvenirs.  Beside it though is the tourist magnet, Fontana del Porcellino, Florence’s famous porker.  Rub his brass nose to return to Florence or put a coin in his mouth for good luck.  Anyway, you just can’t help but get into the spirit of these things, and like the Lottery, it’s a case of good hope.
 

Giambologna's Rape of the Sabine Women

Cellini's Perseus triumphs over Medusa

Palazzo Vecchio

After a quick chat with the pig, we made our way to the decidedly interesting Piazza Signoria, its odd shape arrived at after a period of “political instability”.  Houses of a defeated faction were demolished and families banished - well, those that weren’t annihilated in the course of settling the dispute!  The dominant feature of this space considered Florence’s political stage, is the vast bulk of Palazzo Vecchio impaled by its medieval, almost slender, bell tower.  Various sculptures dot the open space, including copy #1 of David, Neptune looking decidedly WWF wrestling material and a few newer, brassy ones.  These we suspect were part of a “contemporary” exhibition installed at Palazzo Vecchio. 

To one side, the Loggia della Signoria shelters other statuary of such significance it seems amazing that it’s left “outside”.  Hercules energetically subdues a centaur (Giambologna), Perseus triumphantly holds aloft a severed head (Cellini) whilst in front of the Palazzo, another Hercules (can you ever have enough?) by Bandinelli subdues Cacus.  The square, the buildings and statuary were symbolic of the Republic’s victory over tyranny and civic solidarity; a not so subtle reminder of a fate befalling anyone considering a bit of competition. 

"Hercules Slaying the Centaur" by Giambologna under the Loggia della Signoria
The message is quite clear...

By now, our minds were beginning to glaze over and we regretted (Well, GS did for sure!!) such a short stay.  We had hardly walked any distance at all and there was so much to see, do and learn.  I knew I should have offered that porker at the market more money!  Still, on we charged into the Uffizi forecourt lined with statues of Florence’s greats.  The Uffizi is a huge complex and mostly given over to a collection of paintings considered Italy’s best.  That was tomorrow’s excursion, so on we continued to Ponte Vecchio.

Ponte Vecchio

Cellini

We could have been in Venice.  Ponte Vecchio spans the Arno now in the same form that it did in 1345 – a triple arch, loaded with shops.  Although in its day, the proprietors were butchers, fishmongers, tanners and the like who needed access to lots of water.  Today, those same establishments are home to goldsmiths and jewellers - since 1593 no less! 

A top corridor on the bridge links the Uffizi with the Palazzo Pitti constructed so that Cosimo (or maybe it was Mrs Cosimo) did not have to mingle with the plebs to get across the street.  Actually, it was Mrs Cosimo who purchased the very grand and spacious Pitti as she found Palazzo Vecchio too cramped for her taste, the lions (caged at the back of the palace) too smelly and the Swiss Guards too noisy.  The lions were a symbol of Medici might ; Mrs Cosimo must have been quite an authority too! 

 

So ended our tour, with a selfie opportunity at the bridge next to Cellini’s bust and a perfect view down river.  The Cap’n managed to keep a close eye on the First Mate as she surreptitiously cased all the shops with their gold trinkets on offer.  Although we may not have covered everyone’s list of top ten (actually twelve!) sites in Florence, it did rather well, particularly for us.  The big decision now, was what to do in our free time before the following afternoon’s Uffizi tour.

 

Perhaps we could just gaze out the window (overlooking the Duomo and Bell Tower) from our hotel room.  Yes indeed, that view was really something!!!

 

(Below are just a few of the statues of important personages lining the Uffizi Courtyard.)

 

 

Giotto: Medieval Period

Donatello: Early Renaissance

 

 

Michelangelo: High Renaissance

 

 "Lump the whole thing!  Say that the Creator made Italy from designs by Michael Angelo!"

Mark Twain, 1869 in "Innocents Abroad"