In 2013, we embarked on an incredible journey to mark our 40th anniversary.
Five years later, wanderlust struck again!
This is a continuing series. Come along for the ride, will you?
Sept. 12, 2018
TUSCANY!
Our third port of call was Livorno (Leghorn in English), on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. We had arranged a shore excursion to Pisa, home of the famous Leaning Tower, and Florence, known as the birthplace of the Renaissance.
PISA
The city lies on the alluvial plain of the Arno River, about 6 miles (10 km) from the Ligurian Sea and 50 miles (80 km) west of Florence.
While the bell tower of the cathedral, known as “the leaning Tower of Pisa,” is the most famous image of the city, it is one of many works of art and architecture in the city’s Piazza del Duomo, also known, since the 20th century, as Piazza Dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), to the north of the old town center.
The Baptistery, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, stands opposite the west end of the Duomo (Cathedral). The round Romanesque building was begun in the mid 12th century but was not finished until the 14th century when the loggia, the top storey and the dome were added in Gothic style.
The heart of the Piazza del Duomo is the Duomo, the medieval cathedral of the Archdiocese of Pisa, dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta (St. Mary of the Assumption).
Its construction began in 1064 by the architect Buscheto, who set the model for the distinctive Pisan Romanesque style of architecture.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral, known worldwide for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation.
It began to lean during construction in the 12th century due to soft ground, which could not properly support the structure’s weight, and it worsened through the completion of it in the 14th century.
By 1990, the tilt had reached 5.5 degrees, and the structure was stabilized by remedial work between 1993 and 2001, reducing it to 3.97 degrees.
The Fountain with Angels (Fontana dei Putti) is located toward the rear of the Piazza Dei Miracoli and not far from the Leaning Tower and dates to the 17th century.
Originally, this fountain was a source of water for Pisan citizens. In the 18th century, it was rebuilt and adorned with a Baroque marble sculpture of three angels.
FLORENCE
Florence (Firenze in Italian), capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, was established by Julius Caesar in 59 BC as a settlement for his veteran soldiers. Its original name was Fluentia because it was built between two rivers.
Pre COVID, the city attracted millions of tourists each year. UNESCO declared the Historical Centre of Florence a World Heritage Site in 1982. Florence is noted for its culture, Renaissance art, architecture and monuments. Forbes has ranked it as the most beautiful city in the world.
View of the San Niccolo Tower on the Arno River. It was once part of a gate, first erected in 1324, of its old defensive wall system.
Piazza Santa Croce (Holy Cross) is one of the main plazas or squares located in central Florence and takes its name from the Basilica (Cathedral) of Santa Croce that overlooks it.
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The most notable features of the basilica are its sixteen chapels. It is the burial place of many illustrious Italians, such as Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Enrico Fermi, Galileo, Ugo Foscolo, Guglielmo Marconi, Luigi Cherubini, etc., thus it is also known as the Temple of the Italian Glories (Tempio dell’Itale Glorie).
Art and Architecture of Florence:
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Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square), located in the heart of the historic center of Florence, is one of the most visited places in Europe and the world.
The square includes the Florence Cathedral with the famous terra cotta-coloured dome (Cupola del Brunelleschi), the bell tower (Giotto’s Campanile), and the Florence Baptistery (Battistero di San Giovanni). The west zone of this square is called Piazza San Giovanni.
The Baptistery is one of the oldest buildings in the city, constructed between 1059 and 1128 in the Florentine Romanesque style. On three of its four sides, there are large doors famous for their decorations.
The most important of these are the gilded bronze eastern doors, installed in 1452. Michelangelo named them “Gates of Paradise.” Sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti condensed the Old Testament into ten panels to produce these defining masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance.
[click on images to enlarge]
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (aka Florence Cathedral) was completed in 1434 and is one of the greatest examples of Gothic art and the Italian Renaissance, as well as the fourth largest church in the world.
It measures 160 m (525 ft.) in length, 43 m (141 ft.) wide and 90 m (295 ft.) in the transverse nave. The interior height of the dome is 100 m (328 ft.). It is also a symbol of the wealth and power of the Tuscan capital during the 13th and 14th centuries.
Its name derives from the lily, the symbol of Florence and the town’s ancient name, Fiorenza.
The Florence Cathedral has now been surpassed in size by the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican City, St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, the Cathedral of Seville and the Cathedral of Milan. However, in its time, it was the largest in Europe, with a capacity of 30,000 people.
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Although one of the most historic in the city, Piazza Della Repubblica is also immensely touristy, given its location between two other major plazas (Piazza del Duomo and Piazza Della Signoria).
Florence is known for exquisite leather goods and jewellery, but we were there for cultural enrichment, not material gain. Our tour guide led us to the main shopping area and seemed annoyed when we only bought a couple of cheap souvenirs. Maybe she was on commission?
[click on images to enlarge]
The Colonna dell’Abbondanza (Column of Abundance) sits at the exact center of ancient Roman Florentia and was erected in 1431. Atop the column is a copy of the statue of Dovizia by Donatello. The column has a circular 2-tiered base used by locals and tourists alike as a seating area.
The Arno River divides Florence into two parts and is strongly tied to the history of the city. It has been a source of employment as well as an entertainment venue. Unfortunately, it has also caused destruction and death by flooding (the worst episode was in November 1966).
Since ancient times it has been a key transit route between the sea and the Apennines and the source of wood needed for architectural works.
[click on images to enlarge]
The medieval Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) was built over the Arno River in 1345 to be used as a system of defence. Today, Ponte Vecchio is known for its teeming shops, including many jewellers, art sellers and antique boutiques.
The Piazza della Signoria – an open-air museum of the Florentine Renaissance – is a world-famous square in the Tuscan capital, which occupies an L-shaped area in front of the fortress-like city hall, in the heart of the city.
The massive hall (home of the “Signoria,” the city council) with its off-centre bell tower was originally known as the Palazzo della Signoria but was later rechristened the Palazzo Vecchio (the old palace).
The Loggia della Signoria (aka Loggia dei Lanzi) is a unique example of an open-air gallery. Its wide arches open to Piazza della Signoria, adjoining the Uffizi Gallery, and features beautiful sculptures made by famous artists.
Guide To the Statues of the Piazza della Signoria
Above the Palazzo Vecchio entrance hangs an ornamental marble frontispiece, crafted in 1528. Michelangelo’s David also stood at the entrance from its completion in 1504 until 1873, when it was moved to the Accademia Gallery. A replica erected in 1910 now stands in its place, flanked by Baccio Bandinelli’s Hercules and Cacus, from 1564.
It’s impossible to do Florence justice in only one day, but our tour guide crammed in as much as she could and at a brisk pace. My Fitbit logged over 19,000 steps! I strained my left hip, which pained me for the rest of the trip and several weeks thereafter.
Doesn’t matter – it was TOTALLY worth it!
Putting this travelogue together was also gruelling – so much history – so many photos to sort through – but again, worth the effort. For you, dear readers, I hope you find it entertaining and informative. For me, there’s now a permanent record to access when memories fade.
Happy Trails!
NEXT CHAPTER:
RETURN TO ROME | DREAM TRIP PART VI
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
12 thoughts on “LIVORNO, PISA AND FLORENCE | DREAM TRIP PART V”
Hi Debbie – as you say a wonderful collection of photos with memories and history. I was in both in the mid 1960s … the Tower of Pisa, was very off balance and I was happy to get back down! I remember the square in Florence with David’s statue … all being lit with braziers one evening. I was too young to totally appreciate it all … but I remember certain bits. We went in to Milan, as I remember walking the Cathedral roof. We’d come down from the Lakes, my mother had driven us across Europe, and we met my father in Como and then down, back to Viareggio, we’d visited Lucca too. He went back by air, we went back via a school friend of mine at the German army base. Cheers Hilary
Hi Hilary, I’m glad you enjoyed the travelogue. 🙂 It sounds like your trip there was even better, as you got to explore the Leaning Tower and other buildings. We could only admire from the outside. That’s the trouble with cruising – each stop is much too short, but at least we had a taste. Thanks for coming by!
Debbie,
What an amazing tour! The architecture of the city is beautiful and it blows my mind that these structures were built hundreds of years ago without the aid of modern day machinery to make the job easier. I remember in the late 90s when they embarked on the project to keep the tower of Pisa from further leaning. It is the most well-known building around the world. I enjoyed viewing all of the buildings and statues in your tour. I’ll never go see such places in person and it’s nice doing some chair-side travel with you as you take a second journey back to your fantastical dream vacation! Thanks for sharing and explaining with great detail what I was seeing. 😉
Thanks for travelling via armchair with me, Cathy! 🙂 Yes, the Leaning Tower is world-renowned, as is the Florence Cathedral. It was a gruelling tour for us, trying to cram everything into one day, but well worth it. ?
Thank you for sharing your fabulous adventure, Debbie! Your photos are amazing and I agree with Arlee Bird, the architecture is amazing.
Thank you for travelling with me, Eugenia! 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. Florence is a treasure trove of stunning art and architecture.
Such amazing architecture! I wish they still built things like these.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
I know what you mean, Arlee. Today’s construction standards are so flimsy. Thanks for checking out the travelogue!
What a fabulous trip to celebrate your 45th Anniversary. Thanks for taking us along. Beautiful.
Have a fabulous day and week, Debbie. ♥
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Sandee! 🙂 Reliving it was equally enjoyable. Thanks for travelling with me.
Such stunning photographs, and what a wonderful journey! Thanks for putting this together, Debbie!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Thanks for travelling with me, Damyanti.