On Medici and Renasissance masters .. [Florence]

I spent about 24 hours in Florence, I definitely should have stayed longer. Even though the Florence metropolitan is small there is so much to explore and unlike Venice it takes a lot of effort to get lost. Walking around exposed me to historical sculptures, the scenery all of which reminded me why Florence was the capital of Italian Renaissance.

Basilica Santa Maria Novella

I thought I had seen it all when I saw the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, I couldn’t be more wrong. Turns out it was just an introduction, considering, it was consecrated in 1420, making it the first great Basilica in Florence. The bar was raised on seeing the behemoth that is Florence Cathedral.  Known as Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral with its accompanying campanile and baptistry are part of UNESCO World Heritage Site for a good reason. Something about the dome, the white marble, the green marble panels and subsequently the flow of tourists that made me stop to appreciate the view. Both the interior and exterior were made for perfection, giving a good explanation for 140 years of construction. 

The Florence Cathedral

Who am I to resist the facade?

Side view

The baptistry

Inside the Cathedral

The dome from the inside

Being the masters Renaissance and of course they like to show it off. You don’t need to pay for a gallery ticket to see Renaissance sculptures, all you need is to walk around because you’ll eventually stumble upon Piazza della Signoria and the open-air gallery Loggia dei Lanzi. There you’ll find Renaissance sculptures I like to refer to as talking sculptures. Unlike Classical art, renaissance sculptures is all about describing the emotional and human side of the story, a relatable story.

 Instead of portraying David as a self-assured, heroic lad, Micheloangelo sculpted a tense David right before stoning Goliath, a relatable hero. Perseus may have been a hero and founder of dynasties, but Cellini sculpted him right after he beheaded the hideous Medusa, with the Medusa’s head in his right hand, a bit frightened by his action. According to Roman Mythology, Hercules was a divine hero, but Giambolona chose to sculpt a moment from a ordinary night. The night a flirty Centaur, Nessus, tried to snatch his wife as they were crossing a bridge back home. Like a human husband he defended his territory, by beating the centaur to death. Giambolona chose to immortalize the moment Hercules beat Nessus onto white marble. In a similar fashion, the Renaissance portrayals of  Menalus and Patroclus, the rape of Polyxena, the rape of Sabine women can be seen from the porch.

Judith and Holofernes

Loggia dei Lanzi

The Piazza

The famous David by Micheloangelo

Perseus after killing Medusa

Menalus and Patroclus

A failed attempt at posing like David

Having produced very influential figures in politics, art, literature and science; Florentines have the right to show off. Adjacent to Piazza del Signoria is the art gallery Piazzale degli Uffizi, which of course contains magnificent Renaissance paintings. On the gallery porticos are 28 niches with statues marked with very familiar names like Galileo Galilei, Leonardo da Vinci, Nicolo Machiavelli, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Donatello among many others. For a second, I considered moving to Florence for the needle-in-haystack-chance of someday being famous. Maybe that’s impossible but it got me curious of on the influence of the small city to these outliers. 

Renaissance Madonna

Gallery Uffizi

Da Vinci

Niccolo Machiavelli

The answer is all in history. The word Florence comes from ‘Fluentia’ because it was built between 2 rivers. It started out a Roman city established by Ceasar in 59BC as settlement for his soldiers. It wasn't as prominent in the first millennium, due to Ostrogothic rule and wars with the Byzantine empire. 

The second millennium, on the other hand, was its time to shine, rightly referred as the Golden Age. A combination of access to the Mediterranean sea through the Amo river for international trade, the flourishing textile industry and innovative merchant banking skills gave the city the upper hand. This came hand in hand in hand with the rise of the merchant elite who indirectly ruled the city and pretty much controlled European trade. By 15^th century one Cosimo de Medici, was lending money to the pope among other governments making him the real ruler of Florence. Eventually, democracy was abandoned and power was passed from one Medici generation to the next. The dynasty had its failures but they made a lot of intellectual development can be attributed to them. Lorenzo Medici, an accomplished poet and musician himself trained and commissioned the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo among others, effectively catalyzing art. Galileo Galilei worked under the patronage of Cosimo II Medici. At this point my question was answered, the magic formula for intellectual development is an additive function of talent and sponsorship.

It is believed Da Vinci lived here

Medici Chapel

In one Medici's Palace

Palazzo things

The Golden Bridge

At Palazzo Pitti

Palazzo Pitti

Having only just over 24 hours in Florence, I couldn’t fit in a run but I definitely fitted in a short hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo. The way leading there was not boring either. I majestically crossed the Golden Bridge over River Amo like the Medici’s would in horses to Palazzo Pitti. In addition to the historical beautiful sculptures, I started noticing peculiar road signs which I initially dismissed as street art. Turns out a French artist Clet Abrahams has been busy at night decorating the streets with stickers that add a little fun to road safety signs. Like the Medici's, the municipality approves. It became a fun game seeking the next sign. I even came across his studio where I was spoiled with peculiar and controversial art. 

Peculiar street signs

In Clet's studio

“Wow!”, that was the first word I uttered when I arrived on Piazzale Michelangelo. There were fewer tourists than usual for a winter’s evening, street musicians, a wedding, the view, did I mention the view? Within my angle of sight, was the river, slowly flowing, soaking lights from the city. I also got the top view of the Florence Cathedral, of people going about their daily lives, Torre di San Nicollo on the slopes of the hills among many other things Florence had to offer. The square was made to honor the Florentine sculptor Michelangelo, with a museum. Although the museum didn't actualize, the scenery, a bronze statues of David and the four allegories of Medici Chapel, have served the function so far.

The Hike

The Cathedral from the hill

The Golden Bridge on River Amo

Michelangelo's art

#Views

#Views

Florence by night

Florence is one city I should have spent more time on. I know so because the series of events that followed live little to be desired. 

Galileo's middle finger 

The finger ...

Science in Medici times

AtMuseo Galilei

In an effort to explore more, I got to see Galileo’s middle finger of his right hand but I also missed my airport bus, my flight to Barcelona, my phone and the bit sanity I still had.It was crucial that I leave the very day because I was attending the WIML workshop, so a new ticket cancelled Budapest off my itinerary. I really admire travelers who fit in everything in a few hours.  As for me I prefer to take my time, take it all in until I’ve had enough. That said, I will be back, Florence, and next time I’ll give you all the attention you deserve.

Once upon a Rome

Once upon a time, a she-wolf found two very ambitious twins Romulus and Remus stuck in a cave on Capitoline Hill. She nursed them for a while before a shepherd took them in. After killing their great uncle, the twins decided to build a city on the banks of river Tiber but disagreed on what to call it. They settled it the only way they knew how, fighting. History was written on 21st April 753BC when Romulus who went as far as killing his twin brother for fortune and fame.

The Capitlone Wolf

 Life on the hill proceeded gracefully (generally), leading to the Roman Republic. The Romans of this time left traces such as the Circus Maximus constructed in 600BC and the ruins of the Tabularium and temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill and the Roman Forum where untitled citizens hanged out.

The Roman Forum by night

From the nearby Palatine Hill, Kings ruled and died but the course of history was changed by one Julius Ceasar whose death marked the end of the Republic. He is remembered for his military conquests, the Forum of Ceasar, Temple of Ceasar where his remains were laid and of course his dramatic relationship with Cleopatra.

Ruins of the Palatine Hill

A few years (27 to be exact) before Christ, one brave Augustus became the first emperor of the Roman Empire. He left behind many traces such as the Palatine house where he was born in 63BC, the forum of Augustus that commemorates his victory over Caesar’s enemies, the Mausoleum of Augustus which he built to bury his family’s ashes, the residence of his wife Livia, the Baths of Agrippa and of course thousands of statues in the Palatine Museum.

Ruins of the baths of Agrippa

Somewhere along the line came Emperor Nero, who in spite of receiving counsel from the great philosopher Seneca, never made it to people’s hearts. He made compulsive irrational decisions like raping small boys and killing his mother that Karma brought the Great Fire to Rome. It comes as no surprise that he is believed to be one who ordered the persecution of apostles Peter and Paul.

Emperors on the hill

Better days came with Flavian trio dynasty of Vespasian, Titus and Domitian who ruled between 69 to 96 AD. Among the good things they left behind are the Forum of Vespasian, the Arch of Titus and the Flavian Amphitheatre, commonly known as the Colosseum. At the Colosseum, gladiators fought for their lives while 50,000 spectators, mostly lower class citizens, cheered. The magnificent stadium also served a secondary purpose of being source of material for rebuilding Rome.

Looking up the arch of Titus

The Stadium is hard to resist

Memorable rulers followed; Emperor Nerva added the Forum of Nerva to the Imperial Fora. His heir Trajan was an unquestionably good emperor, his moral character and military conquests are immortalized with the Trajan’s column and the Forum of Trajan among other monuments countrywide. 

View from the Palatine hill

Remains of the temple of Saturn

His successor Hadrian left his mark by rebuilding the Pantheon, a Roman Temple that is now a church, Hadrian’s wall and the Mausoleum of Hadrian that is now Castel del St. Angelo. 

The Roman Pantheon

In the Pantheon

Marcus Aurelius ruled further down the line, leading a successful campaign against Samaritans and Germans. He is remembered through the 40m column of Marcus Aurelius and by mistake his equestrian statue at the center of Capitoline Hill since his statue was mistaken for Constantine's.

Marcus Aurelius statue mistaken for Constantine

v

 Several emperors after Aurelis came Septimius Severus, an adventurous character who was the first to reside permanently out of the Palatine Hill. He earned his arch from the war against the Parthians among his many other victories. 

Arch of Severus

Constantine who ruled in the first half of the 4^th century was even more adventurous. In addition to moving the capital of the empire to Byzantium, he became the first Christian emperor having been baptized at his death bed. He earned himself the biggest triumphal arch between the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. 

Arch of Constantine

While emperors enjoyed feasted, the citizens found various ways to entertain themselves. In addition to sporting events, entertainment came in the form of post-work baths in the afternoon. Like modern day gyms people went to baths to socialize, workout and clean themselves at no fee. They did this following a sequence starting from the changing room to the gymnasium, cold bath, warm bath then back in the opposite sequence. Gleaning from the ruins of the baths of Caracalla, bathing was an event to look forward to. 

Rome saw the Renaissance ages under the papal authority. This was the time for Renaissance artists like Micheloanglelo and Bernini to shine. Piazza Navona holds the majority of the them. Built on the Roman times Stadium of Domitian, Piazza Navona embraces Baroque through its 3 fountains, the Palazzo Pamphill and the nearby church of St. Agnese.

Fountain of the four rivers

Stadium of Domitian underground

 These are Bernini’s fountain of the four great rivers of the continents (1651) ; Nile for Africa, Danube for Europe, Ganges for Asia  and Rio de la Plata for the Americas, the fountain of Neptune (1574) and Fontana del Moro (1673).

 In addition to the Capitoline Hill, Micheloangelo left his footprints of St. Peter’s Basilica(1626) , the façade of Vatican.

St Peter's Basilica and all its glory

Vatican guard

The Basilica

The Angel's bridge

Vatican ...

An angel on the bridge

Fontana del Pantheon(1575) infront of the Pantheon is another eye-catching piece, but only before seeing the Trevi Fountain. Leaning on Palazzo Poli, the fountain commemorates finding of water source by a virgin then acqueduct and it has every reason to join the Spanish steps as a tourist spot. 

Trevi Fountain

Tourists doing touristy things

The tradition of throwing coins with right hand over left shoulder to guarantee return has been religiously observed that 3000 Euros are collected daily. Spanish steps in 1730

You would expect better from religious leadership but like all leadership, the papal leadership had its drawbacks. An obvious one was the opposition to science. Giordano Bruno, a Dominican friar, was burned at the stake for standing up for his cosmological theories. His statue stands at Campo de Friori where he was executed in 1600.

With the martyr of science 

 Not far from the Campo, is the Jewish Ghetto, dating back as far as back as 1550. Although it now hosts mouth-watering Jewish restaurants, the original ghetto was crowded and straight up undesirable. 

Rome as we know it today became the capital of Italy only in 1870 after the Italian Reunification. The country name may have changed but the tradition of preserving history didn’t. The National Monument to King Victor Emmanuel was completed in 1925 to honor the first King of United Italy. It also contains the tomb of the unknown soldier under the goddess Roma to honor the fallen soldiers of World War I.

The Monument of King Victor Emmanuel

It’s amazing how much you can learn by just roaming in Rome. Rome doesn’t just preserve history, it is history. Every statue represents something, whether a hero, or martyr or a whole ancient civilization. As if the hundreds of monuments is not enough; It is the city with no subway simply because construction always leads to discovery of a new archeological site. It is natural to want to be immortal or at least to be remembered beyond our short life’s span, it is why we try to impress our superiors and loved ones. Romans may have exuded an extreme version of this but they do make us think about of one question, “What would you like to be remembered for?”