“And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.” 1 Chronicles 14:17
Today we traveled through Tuscany to get to Firenze, or Florence as it’s known in the English speaking world. This region of Italy is known for its wine. For a long time, the Medici family ruled, but they were not royalty. They were bankers who collected art. When the last Medici died without an heir, she gave all the art to the city of Florence.
The Oldest Bridge in Florence
This bridge was built in 1345. It is on the Arno River. The houses on it are shops just as they were in the Middle Ages. All others bridges in Florence were destroyed in WWII.
Holy Cross Basilica (Basilica Santa Croce)
This church is in the Piazza Santa Croce. Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and others who contributed to the arts are buried here. There is a statue of Dante in the front. He was the author of “The Divine Comedy” and “The Inferno.” While we were here, we stopped here at a leather shop, a gelateria, and we walked over to see the Arno River.
Palazzo Borghese
We had lunch in this palace, where once lived Maria Luisa, the sister of Napoleon. We had a pesto-type lasagna, beef, spinach and potatoes, and tiramisu.
Uffizzi Museum
Here we saw works of art by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raffaello, and Botticelli.
Clockwise from top-left: Michelangelo’s “Holy Family with Young St. John the Baptist,” his only documented work on wood; Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus;” Raffaelo’s “St. John the Baptist,” and Da Vinci’s “Adoration of the Magi.”
Statue of David
This sculpture is considered the best representation of male Renaissance beauty. It was sculpted in three years by Michelangelo.
Fun Fact: The symbol of Tuscany is Pinocchio because the writer was from here.
Next stop: Rome, Italy