Just look at that view! The Duomo and the associated bell tower dominate the right and middle. The Palazzo Vecchio is on the left. The tallest part of the Palazzo Vecchio predates the building around it. It’s had many uses through time. It’s construction started around 1300 and it was built to command respect. Even from a distance of time and space, it still does.
It’s been a long day and I was thinking of skipping the blog, but I hate to do that. So, this will be some photos and what I learned and saw today, rather than a narrative.
The view of Florence was taken from one of the highest points in Florence, where the basilica of San Miniato is. He was an Armenian prince of the 3rd century, who lived a pious life as a hermit in a cave on mountain. This angered the Roman emperor who condemned him to death. After being beheaded, Minius picked up his head and walked up his hill to die.
Construction of the church began in 1018 and took about a century to complete. It has been run by the Olivetan order since 1373.
It was busy in the piazza outside the church. There were student athletes running up and down the many steps up the mount, for training. The facade is being repaired and is under scaffolding. Inside, though, was very peaceful. We sat for a while and noticed more and more details.
I particularly liked the worn fresco of St. Christopher. His medal was a constant in my aunt’s car, as protection for travelers. (She was not a confident driver, and needed all the protection she could get; hopefully St. Christopher looked out for the drivers around her too.)
Earlier in the day we spent time at Santa Croce. Bigger, busier, and the final resting place for many important people. Many of them were buried in the floor, so visitors walk over their resting places and in some cases, the stone is so worn the inscriptions cannot be read. The newer tombs on the sides are still commanding attention.
The one to Bruni was interesting because he was a humanist. The artist was Rossellino and the work dates from 1445-50. Bruni wrote a history of Florence, and did translations from Latin and Greek. He was respected. He desired a simple tomb and maybe didn’t get it. He might be pleased with the dearth of religious icons though.
What is interesting is that the beautiful tomb was paid for by others, and completed years after Bruni’s death. It shows as much about the people who survived him, especially how they respected him and saw him as a man of letters, as it does about Bruni himself.
Michelanglo is also at rest in a tomb in Santa Croce. It is elaborate and has three large figures on top, depicting painting, sculpture and architecture.
One of the three oldest churches in Florence, The Church of the Holy Apostles dates from the 11th century. We couldn’t go inside. The piazza is a burial ground for infants who died before they could be baptized. Without getting too sad, I did have some quiet thoughts about what a tough time it was to enter parenthood then. Today, this is a bilingual congregation, with masses in English and Italian.
