This morning we left about 8:15 and we strolled to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore where we had a tour at 9 a.m. Our tour guide, Alessandra, was amazing. She is a native of Florence and gave us a great tour of the Duomo (cathedral) then we climbed the Duomo’s dome on our own (463 steps, thanks John!). After our tour and climbing the dome, we went back to Bacco Matto for lunch, which was a salad with fresh burrata cheese and a meat/cheese platter. We grabbed a gelato on the way back to the room for a quick change and rest for a few minutes.
We headed back out about 3:30 for a 4 p.m. tour of the Uffizi Gallery, which houses the greatest collection of Italian paintings in the world. We saw works by Giotto, Leonardo, Raphaël, Michelangelo, Titan, and Botticelli. We had a 1 ½ tour and then stayed for another hour after and still did not get to see everything. You basically could stay the whole day there; it was amazing. Just FYI, the pics we took just do not do it justice. After our tour, we headed back to the room, grabbed a bottle of wine and cooked dinner in. John prepared sausage/potatoes/onions/zucchini and we finished with some chocolate and a limoncello. Another day down, my feet are happy we have nothing planned tomorrow, lol!
Miles walked – 5.65, but we trudged up 463 steps in the dome and then 87 twice coming back to our BNB, which is on the 4th floor Ciao!
The Giotto’s Tower – we did not climb this, lol!One of the doors to the Baptistry – this is not the original, it’s inside the Duomo museum. All the ones outside are replicas.The front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore Replica of the East door(s) (Gates of Paradise) The Baptistry, oldest building in Florence, about 1000 years oldSculptures within the Duomo MuseumOne of the original Baptistry doors, they are beautiful!Original East door (Gates of Paradise)Original East door (Gates of Paradise)Brunelleschi’s original wooden model of the Duomo’s dome The death mask of BrunelleschiOriginal tools used to build the dome, in the 1430’s Brunelleschi’s dome, completed in 1436The Penitent Magdalene, a wooden sculpture of Mary Magdalene by Donatello – dated to around 1440. This was an incredible piece of work!The Deposition by Michelangelo 1547-1555The Bell TowerInside of the dome, we eventually climb this.The Santa Maria del Fiore clock. The only clock in the world that runs on the “Hora Italica”, the clock face indicates a 24 hour cycle. The sunset corresponds to the 24th hours, which means every week the clock face has to be reset. A neat door!Facade of the DuomoPainting inside the DuomoOn our way up climbing the dome – 463 steps, John is in heaven, guess where I’m at???? LOL!The interior of the dome from one of the balconiesOne of the 8 stained glass windows in the dome base – LOVE THIS!Passageway climbing the domeAt the top of the dome, good view of Giotto’s tower, which is 270 feet tall. It was started in the 1300’s.Pano from the top of the domeInterior view of the dome on our way down. The scene shown is of Dante’s inferno. Rather graphic!Neat looking landscapeIsn’t this gorgeous????!!!!Just walking around FlorenceCeiling frescoes inside Uffizi GalleryThe Ognissanti Madonna by Giotto, 1310. Large alter piece. He is the one that designed the bell tower, hence the name Giotto’s tower.Notice how the central figures all resemble each other. Madonna with Child and Two Angels by Filipo Lippi, 1465Botticelli’s Primavera – late 1470s or early 1480sBotticelli’s The Birth of Venus – 1482-1485A view of the Arno River and the Ponte Vechio from the galleryMichelangelo’s Doni Tondo – 1506-1508, only painting by him in Florence. The frame is amazing and carved from wood. At the top is Jesus and four prophets.I love the colors and detail in this one!!!! Charity, by Salviati in 1545Portrait of Lucrezia Panciatichi by Bronzino, 1541-1545 – again, the detail is just amazingCaravaggio’s Medusa
