FLORENCE (ITALY)
Florence (Toscana)
Florence (Toscana) is the first capital of arts in Europe full of pictures, frescoes and sculptures created in the period of the biggest cultural revival ever known in the history of the mankind. Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante, Bocacco, Galileo, Giotto – all of them are from Florence. The mighty Medici dynasty originates from here.
Within the little expanse of Florence there are so many unique works of art like nowhere else in the world. Florence’s historical center resembles more an outdoor gigantic museum; people enjoy an atmosphere of elegance and beauty here…
According to a legend, in 59 B.C. Julius Cesar laid the foundation of a small town to be later called Fiorence, that is, the City of Flowers (“fiore” meaning “flower” in Italian).
Places of interest in Florence
Florence is famous not only for its variety of colors but also for its main place of note –– the magnificent building of the Cathedral rising over Cathedral Square (Piazza Duomo) in the very center of the ancient city being Florence’s religious center. In 1269, Arnolfo di Cambio laid the foundation of this cathedral dedicated to Florence’s patroness –– Saint Mary del Fiore. The Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral is an amazing architectural masterpiece richly decorated with works by great Italian artists. The construction of the cathedral began in 1296 according to Arnolfo di Cambio’s design on the site of an old Santa Rea Parata Church completely torn down in 1375. The construction was overseen by such masters as Giotto, Andrea Pizzano and Francesco Tallenti. The worldwide famous dome was begun to be built only in 1420 after a design by Brunelleski was chosen as the best in a contest. Erecting of the magnificent dome took 14 years and was completed in 1434, and the temple was dedicated only two years after that. A lantern also designed by Brunelleski has the shape of a small temple. The total height of the dome together with it is 107 meters. Works on construction of the gilded domed lantern began in 1445 and were completed in 1461.
The amazing beauty of the cathedral’s façade has its own history. The façade being part of Arnolfo di Cambio’s design was never completed and in 1587 was destroyed. In 1871, a new design by architect Emilio de Fabris was approved; the project was finished in 1887. Yet, the façade we see today is very much different from the previous variants. It is done in the style of Florence Gothic and was built in XIX century of multicolored marble: white marble was brought from quarries of Carrara, green marble –– from Prato; pink one –– from Maremma. The façade strikes one by richness of its finishing layer. Over the porticos in tympans one can see scenes from the life of Saint Mary, while in lunettes from left to right we can see Mercy, Madonna with the Patrons of the city and Faith. The fronton of the central portico has depiction of Madonna in glory. The cathedral’s interior is also done according to the architectural canons of Italian Gothic. The cathedral is the fourth biggest one in the world (153 meters long; 38 meters wide in the naves and 90 meters wide in transept).
One should also visit the museum of art of the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral here. Among many works of art by Italian masters collected here Michelangelo’s “Pieta” usually attracts the visitors’ attention. This sculptural group being a pattern of the “non-finito” style was created by Michelangelo between 1550-1553 and was designed for his chapel in Rome’s Santa Maria Majore Basilica. The sculpture is of special note also because Michelangelo depicted himself in its central figure.
The baptistery is the oldest among Florence’s existing buildings. Its full name is San Giovanni Batista Baptistery. The first mention of Saint John’s baptistery and the cathedral dates back to V century, although the precise date of construction is unknown. One of the main decorations of the baptistery is its doors. The southern doors were done by Andrea Pizzano in 1330; they have 28 relieves depicting the life of John the Baptist on them. The northern doors were done by Lorenzo Gibberty from 1403 to 1424 after his winning the contest with Brunelleski. Twenty eight relieves on these doors depict episodes from the life of Christ.
The eastern doors –– the famous “Heaven’s Gates” –– were also done by Lorenzo Gibberty from 1425 to 1452. The master depicted on these doors 10 gilded relieves from scenes of the Old Testament with great number of characters. Inside the baptistery has the same octal layout as without. It is paneled with marble and each one of its walls is divided into three parts by high columns. In the center of the beautiful marble floor was the baptistery spring mentioned by Dante in his “Divine Comedy” but it was destroyed in XVI century on an order of Grand Duke Francesco I. The baptistery spring done by masters of the Pizza school in XIV century is preserved; it is located near the wall. Apart from it, the interior is decorated with two Roman sarcophaguses, an altar of XIII century and a beautiful wooden statue of Magdalene by Donatello (1435-1455). The building’s dome is decorated with murals painted by local and Venetian masters.
Santa Croce Church is a unique monument with huge historical value not only because of clarity of expression of the Gothic style but also because of the richness of the works of art that are kept in it. Creation of the Santa Croce (Saint Cross) Basilica, one of the biggest churches of Florence, is attributed to genius master Arnolfo di Cambio, who began to work on it since 1294. The work on it continued until the second half of XIV century, but it was dedicated only in 1443. The façade with its three porticos built according to N. Matas’ design dates back to XIX century. The belfry built at the same period (1847) was constructed according to architect G. Boccani’s project. Along the left side of the basilica there is a portico made of light, almost airy arches with Francesco Patzi’s shrine of XIV century. On the right side of the basilica there is a monastery, on the territory of which there are Dei Patzi Chapel and museum of works of art of Santa Croce. The magnificent interior consists of three naves. The central nave is separated from the side ones by tall pylons of octal section, from which sharp-ended arches with double lining protrude upwards like streams of a fountain. The beauty of the church somewhat suffered from re-planning undertaken in XVI century. The church has a ceiling of the trussing kind built into half-ancient tombstone slabs along the perimeter of the naves. In the transepts there are several chapels, among which there is Majore Chapel with Aniolo Guddi’s fresco “Legend of the Holy Cross” (1380). In the altar there is a polyptych depicting Madonna with the saints, and above –– Crucifixion by Giotto school. One cannot help admiring a glass painting (from the inner side of the façade) “Taking Down from the Cross” made after Lorenzo Gibberty’s cartoons. Below, to the right, there is a tomb monument by Gino Capponi (1876), and to the left –– by G. B. Niccolini (1883). In the central nave there is a marvelous marble pulpit by Benedetto Da Mayano (1472-1476). In the right nave in the first altar there is “Crucifixion” by Santi di Tito (1579). In the first pylon there is a famous bass relief by sculptor Antonio Rosselino depicting nursing Madonna (1478). Painted glass windows date back to XIV century. The most famous tombstone monuments are along the walls of the right nave. They include: monument to Michelangelo by Vasari (1579), monument to Dante Alighieri by sculptor Ricci (1829), monument to Alfyeri by Cannove (1803), monument to Machiavelli by Spinazzi (1787). Fragments of a fresco by Orcani can be seen behind the fourth altar; one cannot help admiring a beautiful fresco by Dominico Vetiano “Saint John the Baptist and Saint Francis” of 1450. There is a beautiful altar image painted by architect Michelozzo on Casimo the Senior’s order. A bass relief created in Donatello’s manner and works by Della Robbia are also worth paying attention to. In the central part of the transept there are chapels with priceless works of art. Among them are: Velutti Chapel with a fresco, possibly, by Chimabue with scenes on the life of Saint Michael Archangel, Peruzzi Chapel and Bardi Chapel with frescoes by Giotto on the life of Saint John the Evangelist (1320) and the life of Saint Francis (1318), Tossini chapel with Giotto’s fresco “Ascension,” Pucci Chapel with Bernardo Daddi’s frescoes. In the left nave one should note the tomb of Marsuppini by Dezederio Dasettinianna.