I’ve wished for a long time to visit Italy. Finally, I did it!
I traveled with my boyfriend and we chose to visit ‘only’ Florence since we had just three days to spend. We decided it is better to choose one town, otherwise we would be in a constant rush and will not have time to enjoy and explore Italy’s quality and embrace renaissance spirit.
We travelled by bus and a trip from Belgrade to Florence lasted all night, but it was comfortable and we (at least I did :-) ) slept almost whole time.
In the moment we arrived there I felt like I was suddenly taken to the 15th or 16th century! So much beauty and art all around you.
Have you ever heard for Stendhal's syndrome, it is also known as Florence syndrome?
Stendhal is a famous French writer. During his visit to Florence, in Basillica of Santa Croce, he felt overwhelmed being in a place where Niccolo Machiavelli, Galileo Galilei and Michelangelo are buried. He felt dizzy, confused and he almost fainted. This special psychosomatic disorder was then named after him.
What causes it? Exposure to an experience of great significance, particularly viewing art! So, beauty can truly take your breath away! The staff at Florence's hospital are accustomed to dealing with tourists suffering from dizziness and disorientation after admiring the statue of David or the other masterpieces in Florence.
Our tourist guide took us to the Piazzale Michelangelo which is not known among many tourists. She wanted to show us one of the best panoramic views of Florence. It was cloudy and rainy, but even in these weather conditions so wonderful!
It is also known as Cathedral of Saint Mary of the flower. Building of this cathedral started in 13th century and it was completely finished in 15th century, so it took more than 100 years to build it.
After 100 years the city government felt embarrassed and decided to finally finish the cathedral. They decided to open a competition for the best architecture solution for building the dome. Brunelleschi won the competition. There is an interesting legend about how he won it. Apparently, when the city officials asked to see his model and plan he didnʼt want to show it to them and he proposed that the one who can manage to make an egg stand upright on a flat surface should build the dome. No one could do it except Brunelleschi!
You must wonder how – the solution is simple, he kicked the table with an egg, so an egg was flat on one side and he put it on the table upright. Simple, but no one else thought of that solution!
The cathedral is located in Piazza del Duomo and this is the historic centre of Florence. All around you is something that deserves your time and attention. I was always astonished when I walked around the town and saw the Cathedral out of nowhere.
We were really indecisive whether to go and see Boboli gardens or the Palazzo Medici. Unfortunately, we didnʼt have time for both. Crucial for our decision to visit Boboli gardens was the sunny day, we had to spent such a wonderful November day outside. I guess we wouldnʼt be sorry even if we decided to visit the Palazzo, but we were completely blown away with the beauty of the gardens.
First of all, this is not a regular garden! This is a real open–air museum with a size of couple of football fields, when you walk in on the one side you need to walk at least 45 minutes to come to the other side of the garden :-) .
These gardens are actually the backyard of Pitti Palace which was designed by Brunelleschi! He designed it for the Pitti Family, a family of rich merchants. In 1549 the Medici family purchased it. They enlarged and changed the palace.
You can find many museums inside the garden, sculptures, ancient oak trees, fountains…
If you wish to get away from the crowd and relax – this is a right place. You can always buy a ticket without waiting in long queues (and that is a common thing if you want to visit Ufizi or Palazzo Vecchio) and one day is not enough to visit all there is.
I especially liked the architecture of the gardens, there are many secret passages, hidden paths so you feel like a detective. You are constantly surprised by the beauty you randomly find by exploring the gardens.
The view from the highest point of the gardens
This is the town hall of the Florence. It is an amazing museum. Each room has its own history and secrets and some of them still havenʼt been resolved.
One of the most amazing rooms is the Salone dei Cinquecento(The Hall of Five Hundreed). I was astonished by frescoes around as well as by the decorations of hall.
One of the most interesting details that rises attention of the historians and artists all over the world is one of battle scenes painted by Vassari. It is believed that underneath it is Michelangelos The Battle of Anghiari. This fresco suddenly vanished in 16th century when Giorgio Vassari covered the walls with frescoes of victories by the Medicis. Many people are sure that he keeped Michelangelos frescoe, they think that the evidence for this are mysterious words found on one of Vassariʼs frescoes – Cerca trova, meaning He who seeks will find.
Since we are talking about mysteries, if you enjoy them than the Secret passages tour is definitely for you. As many medieval and renaissance palaces the Palazzo Vecchio has many hidden passages.
I have to mention the Dante death mask – you can see it in the small hallway on the first floor. If you are a fan of Den Brown then you probably read and watched his Inferno. The Dante death mask plays a key role in it.
We climbed up the tower of Palazzo Vecchio. The tower is 95 meters high and is one of the oldest part of the building. It was built in the 14th century. You have to be careful when you are climbing and if you are claustrophobic maybe you should skip this. The stairs are really high, the corridor is narrow and you need to pay attention. But, the view from the top is fantastic! So it is really worth all the trouble!
This might seem strange, but I think I should include every little charming street in Florence as one of our top five destinations. You can find a little piece of history almost everywhere. On every corner there is something artistic. Make sure to go for a walk by night too, that is a special experience.
I cannot find right words to express that feeling when you know you are walking through the same streets as some of the greatest minds and visionaries.
An interesting detail on one building
Source of photos
All images and text published in this post are my original work.
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